The Journey
by ResistTheEmpire
Summary: The Jedi Council has received an anonymous report of a force user on the planet of Delphon and decide to send Obi-Wan, Anakin, and his padawan, Ahsoka, to find this force user, who turns out to be a boy around the age of 15 and is trying to find a meaningful purpose to honor his parents. Co-Authored with Darth Echo starting in Chapter 3.
1. Found Part I

**So here is my first story and the first chapter of my story ever on Fanfiction. Please no flames, but constructive criticism is welcomed. Also any ideas you guys have about my story please feel free to tell me, as I am always open to ideas. I would also like to apologize in advance if this chapter is bad. I don't think it is, but there is definitely room for improvement. Any tips that anyone has please tell me.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars: The Clone Wars or the name Black Hole Gang or the quote I use. **

**Also would like to thank the author AVP5 for my inspiration to do this and also would like to say that he did an awesome job on his story Warriors of the Force. On to the story [crosses fingers hoping anybody who reads this finds it good]….**

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Found

"_The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be"_

Story takes place during Season 1 of Star Wars the Clone Wars

**OC POV**

My name is Arthur Perry and I am alone on the planet of Delphon. My parents were killed by the Black Hole Gang when I was 9. I am now at the age of 15 and spend most of my time at a local cantina where I usually can get the scoop on what is going on in the Clone Wars and take jobs that will earn me money. I now take jobs with the Black Hole Gang and before you guys go crazy, I only did this to steal from them. When we finish jobs, everyone gets a cut, but I usually take my cut and then some and they haven't figured this out yet. This was my way of getting back at them for taking my parents. I would also sabotage some jobs, when I knew I really didn't need the money from this job to survive and when I knew that certain jobs would set them back majorly. I know it doesn't give me closure, but it makes me feel better. However, today I'm in the cantina because of what I did to some random mugger.

_(Flashback)_

_I was on my way to the tavern to get the scoop on the war and to see if there were any interesting jobs that attracted me. _ I knew I was different from other people, I didn't know why or how, but I just knew. I was quicker, more agile, and stealthier then anyone I knew_. Anyway, as I was walking to the tavern a mugger jumped me in one of our town's back alleys and held a knife in front of me demanding for anything I had that was of value, namely my money._

"_You want this money? Then come and get it" I told him. I am not a very hostile person and I'm usually a calm guy, but this guy just made me tick cause I worked hard for my share of the take on my last job and this guy thought he could just try and mug me and take it. Only over my dead body was he getting my earnings._

"_Fine by me" he answered._

_He then charged me, but I was quicker and more agile and dodged every attempt from my attacker to cut me, until the last swipe, which grazed my chest leaving a cut that started to bleed. I clenched my fists in pain and anger toward the man. When I finally looked up at the man he was levitating in the air and his hands were clawing at his neck trying to remove some invisible hands that were choking him. I noticed that it was me and I immediately unclenched my hands. The man dropped to the floor and I checked to make sure he was still alive and then I ran. When I reached the tavern I looked at my hands and they were shaking uncontrollably and I felt cold, but I mostly felt fear and shame about what I did. I entered the cantina and sat down at a table near the back and tried to calm down, which is where we are now._

(Present)

**Ahsoka POV**

The council received an anonymous report of a force user on Delphon. The anonymous reporter claimed that the force user had a man levitating in mid air and was choking him with the force. The council decided to send myself, Anakin, and Kenobi to Delphon to find this force user, who may or may not be a Sith, since the report said it was a boy that looked around the age of fifteen. I found it hard that a boy that was a year older than me could be a Sith. **(sorry if her age is wrong but I think it's correct)**

Anakin decided that we should take the fleet since we don't know if the Separatists have a blockade around the planet or not, since there may or may not be a Sith on the planet's surface. We then headed into space, and after the coordinates were received the fleet entered hyperspace.

"Next stop, Delphon," said Anakin as our republic cruiser went into hyperspace

**Kenobi POV**

As we exited hyperspace and were coming up on the planet and I looked over at Ahsoka, who was on her holopad checking the information on Delphon.

"Doesn't look like there are any separatist ships blockading the planet master," said Anakin as our ships entered the planet's atmosphere

"Well that's good. Means we don't have to fight the tinies while were here" answered Ahsoka

"That is strange. Why would there not be any separatist ships here if there was a Sith on the planet's surface?" I asked

"That is strange" answered Anakin in a deep, puzzling tone.

"Probably cause he's not a Sith. He's only around fifteen" said Ahsoka remembering what the council said.

"Still, approach with caution we still do not know what we are getting ourselves into" I said with my cautious voice.

**(Delphon System)** **Ahsoka POV**

"General Skywalker, your gunships are ready for departure we will remain here in case any Separatists do show" came Admiral Yularen's voice over Anakin's wrist communicator.

"Ok Admiral. We will contact you when we have the kid" came back Anakin.

Anakin, Obi-Wan and I boarded the Twilight and entered the planet atmosphere and arrived at this poor looking town on Delphon where the report came from.

"I sense our force user is in that cantina over there" Obi-Wan said as he pointed to the cantina across from us.

Master Skywalker and I also felt the strong presence in the force and with that Obi-Wan, Anakin and I entered the cantina. We immediately drew attention our way as outsiders and the way we dressed.

**Arthur POV**

I was trying to forget what happened during my job to help this crew steal some stuff, I didn't care what the stuff was because it was in crates, I just wanted money so I could survive till tomorrow, but I couldn't shake the incident out of my mind. To make matters worse, these people I never have seen before came into the cantina and I could tell they weren't from around here. They were talking to some of the people who gestured toward me. As I sat there eyeing this fellow who was walking toward me. He was older than the other two that were with him and he had a full beard and brown hair and had on some clone armor and a tan tunic. He was obviously in the war. I felt different when they entered and I started to relax a bit, but my eyes drifted to his side where there seemed to be a weapon that my parents have told me about. They called the weapon a lightsaber, the weapon of the Jedi who were good, and the Sith who were bad. I didn't know for sure if he was Jedi or Sith, but by the clone armor the man was wearing, I assumed he was a Jedi.

The man continued to walk toward me and I noticed the other two he was with also had lightsabers and I started to panic and my heart rate started to increase. I wasn't sure if they were friend or foe, but I decided I waited long enough. I positioned my hands under the table and flipped it up in front of the man, spilling my drink on him. I ran out the back entrance and down an alleyway with the other two Jedi in pursuit of me.

"Stop, we just want to talk to you!" yelled the other middle aged dark haired man at me. I looked behind me at him and noticed he wasn't wearing any white armor like the older man was but he was wearing some protection that matched his tunic. I looked ahead of me again and took a hard right down another alleyway, and noticed some empty crates that were stacked high. As I approached them I kicked the bottom crate out of position and the whole stack began to fall in front of my pursuers. I checked behind me to see if I had lost them, but to my surprise the dark haired Jedi had his hands stretched out and the crates were floating in mid air and the younger Jedi slid under them and continued to chase me. By the time I tried to turn around and focus on where I was going, I hit into something hard and landed hard on the ground and blacked out from the impact.

**Ahsoka POV (The Chase)**

Obi-Wan went and talked to the cantina bartender and found the boy at one of the back tables. Obi-Wan motioned us to follow him and we did. As I approached the boy, I noticed that he was my age, or slightly older and he had short black hair, that was maybe an inch long. He had hazel eyes and I could tell as we got closer to him that his shirt was cut across his chest and that it had been bleeding recently. Also as we moved closer to him I could sense fear, confusion, and his hands were shaking. I figured he knew he had the force, but probably didn't know how to control it.

Anakin and I stopped short of the table keeping an eye out, while Obi-Wan walked toward the boy, but as Obi-Wan got closer, the boy flipped the table up in front of Obi-Wan and spilt his drink on him.

"Great job Master, you scared him" replied Anakin in a sarcastic tone.

"Just go get the boy Anakin" said Obi-Wan in a somewhat frustrated tone as he rolled his eyes and tried to dust himself off. Anakin and I started to chase after the boy and noticed that he was pretty quick.

"Stop, we just want to talk to you!" yelled Anakin.

The boy turned his head to look at us, and then all of sudden took a sharp right down another alleyway. I looked up to the roofs of the buildings and noticed Obi-Wan following the boy from the rooftops while Anakin and I chased him from the ground. As we rounded the corner, we saw the boy knockdown some crates that Anakin caught with the force, allowing me to slide under them. I quickly then ran after the boy, who I began to gain ground on, but I was surprised when Obi-Wan jumped down off the roof of a nearby building and lands in front of the boy, who was looking at me and not paying attention in front of him when he all of a sudden ran head long into Obi-Wan and fell on the ground and blacked out.

**(Black Hole Gang HQ)**

"Enkado, we have a thief among us!"yelled a man in ragged clothes.

"We are all thieves Namar. You idiot" answered the Enkado. Enkado was a half man half bull looking person. He also had one of those nose rings that helped make him intimidating. He was built like a monster and wore no shirt, showing off his many scars that he had received during his lifetime.

"I suspect that brat kid, Arthur, he never was a true member of the gang" said Namar

"You are right Namar. Set out at once to that pathetic sewer town. It's time to collect " answered Enkado with a grimacing tone.

The gang members all boarded their speeder bikes, which were all old and all looked different. Once all the bikes were on, Enkado led them to the town.

**Arthur POV**

I awoke from the blackness that surrounded me, but my vision was a little blurry. I opened and closed my eyes a couple times and vision came back to me.

"Great your finally awake" I heard someone say. I looked to my right for the source and saw the Torguta girl, who helped the other two guys try and catch me. I started to panic as I saw her and also realized that I was in some medical room and not in any room that I noticed. I tried to sit up quickly, but I felt a pressure on my chest. When I looked at the source it was the girl's hand pushing me back down.

"Relax I'm not going to hurt you. My name is Ahsoka by the way. Ahsoka Tano"

"Uhhh hello. I'm um Arthur P-P-P-Perry" was all I could muster. I was nervous still and slightly afraid. Ahsoka probably wasn't going to hurt me and that her friends probably weren't either, but I just woke up from being knocked out and was in a strange room.

"Just lay back down and I'll go get my friends. They want to talk to you" said Ahsoka.

"Ok" I said still slightly nervous, even though it was clear I had nothing to be nervous about. After I answered her, Ahsoka left the room, leaving me by myself waiting for her friends to arrive.

The bearded man and the dark haired, younger man entered my room with Ahsoka behind them.

"Hello young one, I'm Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and this is my former student, Anakin Skywalker" he said pointing to the man to his right.

I could only nod in acknowledgment, cause I was speechless and to tell the truth, to afraid to speak at the moment, so I nodded which told them they could continue.

"We are from the Jedi Council and received a report about a force user that had levitated a man in the air and was choking him. Naturally we thought it was a Sith, but as it turns out we were wrong" said Anakin. I looked down at my feet when they mentioned what I did to that poor guy, but I finally found the courage to talk.

"Sorry about what I did to that mugger. I didn't know what I was doing. My name is Arthur by the way, Arthur Perry"

"It's all right Arthur" said Anakin

"So the Sith, they are the bad guys right?" I asked

"Yes they wield the dark side of the force and control the galaxy by fear" replied Obi-Wan

These guys sounded mean and a bit frightening to say the least. Even when I heard about them on the holonet.

"What's the force?" I had an idea that this was the name used for my special ability, but I was curious to what it actually really was.

"The force is the power that the Jedi and Sith harness. The force is in all life forms, it surrounds and penetrates us" answered Obi-Wan

"So how do I control it? I don't want to do what I did to that poor mugger ever again"

"We can teach you to control your power, but you'd have to come with us to Coruscant to the Jedi temple. There you can begin your learning" said Obi-Wan. I couldn't believe it, a chance to become a Jedi and fight in the Clone Wars and actually do something meaningful in my life, rather than steal from the Black Hole Gang, and also do something that would make my parents proud of me. I was so eager to join and excited that all my nervousness went away.

"When do I start?" I asked

"Your journey could begin soon, once we get off this planet" said Anakin

"Master Kenobi, could we possibly go to my house so I can get some of my things that I would like to take with me? I asked.

"I suppose so Arthur" answered Kenobi

We arrived at my old, broken down house and I opened the front door and went in while Obi-Wan and Skywalker stayed outside and Ahsoka followed me in.

"So this is where you grew up?" asked Ahsoka as I closed the door

"Yeah" I replied not really wanting to have this conversation about my past right now. "As much as I would really love to talk to you about this Ahsoka, I'd rather not and just get my stuff and get out" I continued saying not sounding every happy and getting kinda short with Ahsoka. When I saw how her face frown because of what I said to her, I immediately felt bad for answering like that to her. She just asked me a simple question.

"Sorry about that Ahsoka" I said, trying to make up for my past answer.

"It's ok. I understand you don't want to talk about it, but someday you will" she said

"Maybe" I answered back to her.

I continued to my room and grabbed my things I wanted to take with me, which wasn't much. The only thing I took, besides my backpack with some odds and ends, that had some sentimental value to me was a picture of my parents. After I grabbed my belongings Ahsoka and I met up with Skywalker and Kenobi outside my house and started our walk back to Anakin's ship. On our way there though we heard bikes in the distance and immediately I recognized by the sound of the bikes that it was Enkado, the leader of this group of the Black Hole Gang.

"This isn't good" I said

"Who are your friends?" asked Anakin

"Ok, First they aren't my friends. Second, they were my former employer, and third they probably found out that I stole from them" I said.

"Why did you steal from them?" asked Ahsoka

"They killed my parents in one of their raids of this town, so I went and helped them on jobs and then stole from them after the jobs were completed and I kinda sabotaged some of their missions on purpose. They must have caught on to me" I answered

"Here we go again" said Ahsoka

"Anakin, I take it you have a plan to get out of this situation?" asked Obi-Wan

"Nope, but I'm sure you do master" said Anakin

"Right then" said Obi-Wan as he walked out from behind their cover and went to greet the Black Hole Gang.

**So that's the first chapter of hopefully many more to come. Please use the force and review and let me know what you guys think about my story so far. I got an idea about halfway through writing this chapter, which is kind of what AVP5 did, sorry if this story sounds too much like his, I'm trying to avoid that. I was going to follow season 1 episodes and put Arthur in where he will fit. If you guys have any suggestions about what episodes from season 1 to use then let me know too. Also pm me if you have any ideas for the story, any help is appreciated.**


	2. Found Part II

**Before I get to the disclaimer and the story, I would like to do give a special thanks to Kulechick for helping me write this chapter, and a special thanks to Lost Lauren and AVP5 for giving me feedback and input about certain scenes. If it wasn't for the help I got, it would have been a lot longer before this chapter saw the light of day. **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Star Wars: The Clone Wars or anything affiliated with Star Wars, which includes the name Black Hole Gang, which is used in a book I read, hope that I don't get in trouble. Just my OCs I own, which would be Arthur, and the characters I use in the Black Hole Gang, and a certain character that you will meet in this chapter, which Kulechick also helped me write and Lost Lauren gave me feedback on. Also take a look at Kulechick's story Reflections, it's amazing, and Lost Lauren has a story called Where Lies My Love? which is also amazing.**

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Found

**Arthur POV**

Obi-Wan Kenobi approached the gang leader calmly. He peered over the gang member, meeting his eyes that held aggression. "Greeting gentlemen, what seems to be the problem?" The master greeted, his voice smooth and calm.

"We are looking for the brat named Arthur" said Enkado in a deep, demanding voice, as he and the gang dismounted from their bikes and pulled out their guns and aimed them at Kenobi.

Kenobi looked at the group of about 20. "I don't believe I've seen him around" he replied keeping his eyes locked on with Enkado and his voice smooth and calm.

I was shocked that this man, Obi-Wan Kenobi, that I had just met a few minutes ago would stand up for me like he was. How could he stand up for me like this? For a stranger he didn't even know? I watched him from around the corner of a building that Anakin, Ahsoka and I were at. I watched as he continued to try to convince the gang, but saw that he needed help from us if all of us were ever going to get out of this alive.

"We need to help him" I said to Anakin, who looked at me with a sarcastic face that told me he knew that already

"Snips, contact Rex and give him our position, and tell him what's going on, while Arthur and I flank those pirates from behind" said Anakin, which made me chuckle at what Anakin called Ahsoka.

"On it Sky Guy" came Ahsoka's reply, which made me have to cover my mouth before I laughed and gave away our position.

As Ahsoka was talking to Rex, I decided to listen in on the conversation between Obi-Wan and Enkado.

"Why are you searching for this boy, Arthur?" asked Obi-Wan still calm as ever and still not wavering his eye contact from Enkado.

"The boy is a menace to us just like his parents, and look where it got them. If he doesn't show, Namar and I will end the rest of this town like we did his parents" answered Enkado, who seemed to be getting mad at Obi-Wan, who was stalling him from finding the boy.

When I heard Enkado say what he said about my parents, I started to become angered and hurt. My fists started to clench and I could feel this coldness taking over me, which Obi-Wan described as the dark side. Before I could do anything stupid, I felt this warmth all around me that came out of nowhere. When I finally calmed down the coldness went away, I saw that I was in the embrace of Ahsoka, who must have noticed what was happening to me.

"You alright kid?" Anakin asked in somewhat of a worried tone.

"Yeah. I guess. Thanks Ahsoka" I said as I returned the hug. I was glad that Ahsoka was able to pull me out of the dark side, but I scolded myself for letting that happen again. I immediately thought about my incident with the mugger and my promise to myself to never want to hurt or see that kind of fear in anyone ever again, especially when I am the reason for that pain and fear.

Anakin motioned me to follow him, while he told Ahsoka to wait behind the building for Rex and the other clones that were coming to our aid. Anakin and I began to sneak behind the Black Hole Gang to assist Obi-Wan out of his jam. As we crept forward, we kept our eyes over to where the gang was standing, and noticed a girl that I recognized immediately staring right at me. Anakin and I both stopped and got ready for whatever she planned to do.

The girl's name was Mia Frey, or in other words, the girl I knew all too well. I stared at her, observing her. Her red hair was swept against the wind before falling gently back to her shoulders. Her bright, electric blue eyes stared deeply into my green ones, as if they were looking at my very soul. However I kept my eyes locked on hers as the sun beat down on the two of us, hitting her sun kissed skin and the ink that wrapped around her left arm, while her right arm was covered with a gray arm sleeve that covered up to about half of her triceps. She had on a skin tight, sleeveless black undershirt and black pants with a pistol strapped around her right thigh, and a blaster rifle slung over her back.

We stood silently watching each other. I believe neither of us, dared to move possibly afraid what the other one would do. The tension in the air broke with a glance from Anakin. Anakin was also staring, and I could feel him leaning toward me not taking his eyes off of Mia as well.

"Hey kid, I thought you said these guys weren't your friends, because she looks like a friend" he said in a quiet whisper with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, and gave me gentle nudge on my arm.

"Shut it" I said in a low annoyed voice, as my face turned red, but I still didn't dare to look away from Mia, who still had her electric blue eyes starring deep into my soul. Just then Anakin and I heard what sounded like footsteps coming our way so we decided we should move or end up dead. So we moved behind a building that was to our left. I was at the corner and kept my eyes on where Mia was to see who was coming, while Anakin was behind me.

"Mia what are you starring at over here so intently?" came the despicable voice of Namar, who was Enkado's second in command.

"Nothing, thought I saw something" she said in her soothing voice, while looking into Namar's eyes.

Namar didn't believe her as he started walking toward where Anakin and I had ran into Mia. However, as he approached I shifted my feet some which made a faint sound and got me a look from Anakin. Namar must have heard it but before he could see us, sounds of blaster fire suddenly came from out in the distance, which made Namar retreat back to the gang.

Anakin and I came out from behind our cover and noticed that Mia was still in the same spot when she first found us, but motioned us to come to her.

"Arthur, the gang is distracted by the arrival of the clones on speeder bikes, you must leave now."

"Come with us" I pleaded with her but she just shook her head.

"You must find your own way with the jedi Arthur, but don't worry we will meet again" she then turned to walk away, but met the sight of Namar with a gun pointed at me, but then began to wave it around so that it would shift between Mia, Anakin, and myself as he talked.

"Talking with the enemy I see" he said as he began to walk closer to us. Mia stepped in front of me with her right hand hovering over her gun that she had holstered to her right thigh.

"You dare call him the enemy, after what you and Enkado did to his parents!" she yelled at him.

Mia reached for her gun to fire at Namar, but Namar already had his gun drawn and was about to fire at Mia, but Anakin acting quickly managed to ignite his lightsaber and block Namar's shot and sent it back toward him. The blast hit Namar in the chest, knocking him to the ground, where he lay motionless.

When I went to look at the spot where I saw Mia last, she wasn't there. She was always good at disappearing without a trace, which irritated me sometimes. Anakin and I rushed to aid the clones and it didn't take long for the battle to tip in our favor. Anakin and I made our way over to Obi-Wan and the clones.

"Nice to see you two finally made it" said Obi-Wan

"Better late than never" I said, which got me a hard look from Obi-Wan.

"Heard you could use our help General" said a clone in blue markings.

"Thanks for coming Rex" said Anakin as we took cover with the clones and Obi-Wan.

"Anytime sir" answered the clone, as he continued to blast away at the gang.

The clone that Anakin referred to as Rex had the same clone armor as the rest of the clones that were present had, but had blue markings on his armor. His helmet had a design on it that looked somewhat like eyes, and his helmet also had an antenna, and his visor looked like a T shape. He also had a pauldron, and a kama which he had two blaster pistols holstered on either side of it, while he used a slightly larger blaster to fire back at the gang.

I was keeping my head down and trying not to get shot while everyone was blasting at the gang. I felt useless because everyone was fighting for me and here I couldn't even fight for myself. I had experience in firefights and used blasters before, but that was when I was armed and working with the gang, now I'm against them and can't even fight for my own freedom.

"Hey kid" I heard someone say and looked at the clone named Rex, who then tossed me one of his sidearm pistols. I immediately jumped into the action not wasting any time.

The gang eventually began to retreat as the clones began to push their advantage on them. I was glad that we won the day, but Enkado was able to escape and live to steal another day, but at least Namar was brought to justice.

**(Jedi Temple)**

After confronting the Black Hole Gang, I traveled to the Jedi Temple with Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka abroad Anakin's ship, which he told me was called the Resolute. After we arrived at the Jedi Temple, Obi-Wan said they had to give their report to the council, which meant that since I was going to become part of the Jedi Order that I too would have to stand in front of them. Anakin and Obi-Wan walked into the council room, which left me and Ahsoka outside waiting for them.

"So, any tips for me when I have to face the council?" I asked Ahsoka.

"Only speak when you are spoken to" she replied back.

"Great" I said.

"Relax, you'll do fine" said Ahsoka who then put a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

Just then Anakin and Obi-Wan walked out of the room and told me it was my turn to answer some questions that the council had for me. I took a deep breath and entered, preparing for the biggest moment in my life.

"Arthur Perry I presume" one of the members said, which my reply was a nod of my head.

"I am Jedi Master Mace Windu, and this is the Jedi Council. We have some questions we would like to ask you"

"Yes, Master Windu" I answered

"When we first learned about your situation, the report said that you had a man in a choke hold on a man without even touching him. Can you explain that?" asked Master Windu.

"Yes I did that horrible thing to that poor man. I was foolish and did not know as much as I do now about the force and what it actually is. If I am allowed to become part of this ancient order, I feel that I could begin to have control over what I am capable of doing. I never want to have that horrible situation ever happen again."

"Sense he is telling the truth I do" said this old, green guy. He seemed very wise and sat at the head of the council, which I would assume is the leader. After he said this I gave a sigh of relief.

"Master Yoda, he did allow himself to go down the road of the dark side however, which I fear may grow if he isn't closely monitored" said a blue Twi'lek

"Master Kenobi and Master Skywalker both have said that he shows potential and is willing to learn our ways to become a jedi"

"Strong with the force you are young one, but sense fear and anger inside you I do. Careful you must be of these emotions. Send you down the dark side they will" said Master Yoda, as the others in the council nodded their heads in agreement with what he was saying. "Join us you will" he said

After he said those words, my heart skipped beat and I felt a smile form across my face.

"Master Kenobi has already agreed to teach you everything you must know Padawan Perry"

"Thank you masters" I said as I exited and found Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka talking to each other.

"Ready to learn the ways of the jedi, my young padawan?" asked Obi-Wan Kenobi

"Yes master" I replied. I noticed that Ahsoka's jaw dropped after Obi-Wan mentioned that I was his padawan.

"Padawan already?" asked Ahsoka in shock

"Yes, It was tough, but I managed to convince the council to let me take Arthur as my padawan now and that I would teach him everything he needs to know."

"Congratulations Arthur" said Ahsoka

"Thanks Ahsoka" I said. I was still in shock from everything that happened and that I already had a master, cause judging by the way Ahsoka reacted, she must have had to train and study for a long time before becoming Master Skywalker's padawan.

"Well my padawan," said Kenobi. "Ready to begin your training?" he asked

"Yes master" I said as we walked off to begin my life as a jedi.

**Well, there is chapter 2. Again thanks to Kulechick, Lost Lauren, and AVP5 for helping get through my writers block. So please use the force and review and tell me what you guys think should happen later on down the road.  
**


	3. Trouble

**Arthur: Hello everybody, before the story starts, Resist has an announcement to make.**

_**(Resist enters the room in a suit, and pulls down a mic from the ceiling)**_

**Resist: Introducing in this fanfic, coming in as a co-author. Ladies and Gentlemen, please put your hands together for ECHOOOOOOOOO!**

**Echo: Thank you thank you. I am so happy to be a part of this amazing story Resist has created. I can't wait to help co-author it. **

**Resist: Arthur would you please do the honors and say the disclaimer?"**

**Arthur: Certainly. Well Resist and Echo don't own Star Wars sadly or the awesome quote.**

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Trouble

"_To be Jedi is to face the truth, and choose. Give off light, or darkness, Padawan. Be a candle, or the night."_

**Arthur POV**

I couldn't believe the thickness of the smoke ahead of me. Amongst it, troopers dropped like flies as the battle waged on. I wanted to help them, but I knew I couldn't save all of them. Master Kenobi didn't seem to mind the losses. He continued to fight in front of me, twirling and swiping his lightsaber with exceptional skill. I had never truly seen a Jedi in combat until I started training with my master. The expertise these Jedi possess is mind-blowing. I can only hope that I will be that powerful one day.

"Arthur!" I hear Kenobi call out to me. I snap from my daze and look up to him. "Yes, Master?"

"The droids are falling back," the man said, "I'm going with Cody to push forward. I need you to stay here and hold our position."

"Master, let me go with you, I want to learn and be by your side" I pleaded with him. This happened a lot during the battles that Master Kenobi and I have been apart of, he was always taking the lead and leaving me at the rear to clean up the mess. I didn't mind it at first when I just became his padawan, but I've been his padawan for a decent amount of time now, but he still treats me like its my first day on the job.

"No, my young apprentice," Obi-Wan shook his head, "You are to stay _here_ and maintain our position."

I nodded my head in agreement with Kenobi, but still felt I would be of more use to my master by his side, but I wasn't going to argue this with him at the moment, while I had clones that needed my help and attention. So I walked over to a clone named Waxer, and ordered him to have the clones set up a perimeter, and watched as Kenobi, Cody and the other clones went off to finish the retreating droids.

**Obi-Wan's POV**

As Cody and I pressed on, destroying droid after droid, I couldn't help but wonder about Arthur. In so many ways, he was stubborn and reckless. But, it doesn't take a Jedi to see that there is something wrong. His arrogance is spontaneous, yet he is usually reserved. A voice in my head told me the boy's actions are nothing and that he is like every Padawan of his age. Yet, another told me that I should be wary.

I deflected a bolt back at a super battle droid, shutting it down instantly. My mind immediately focused on the battle outside, not the battle of decisions inside. We were pushing the droids further back and practically had them all but gone, when I heard lightsabers activate in the distance. Perhaps Arthur had come to help? I told him to stay put. I turned to face the wielder of the 's when I realized Arthur only had one. Then I heard the infamous cough, that I heard far too often.

**Narrator POV**

"Hello there," Grievous snickered, anticipating the imminent duel. He grasped onto his prized lightsabers tightly, resisting the urge to lunge at Kenobi. Narrowing his yellow, bloodshot eyes, the cyborg split his arms and grabbed two more blades. The blue and green sabers hummed to life amongst the eerie quiet.

"Grievous" Obi-Wan said in a low, growling voice, signaling his dislike in the General, as he ignited his own blue blade getting ready for the upcoming fo duel that was going to take place. The mechanical villain could only laugh, "I see you have taken on a new apprentice." He gave a throaty and phlegm-filled cough that could send chills down a bantha's spine.

"Your spies serve you well Grievous" came Obi-Wan's calm yet deep reply, while he positioned himself for the duel that was about to commence. "Do you think you can save the boy?" Grievous scoffed, and if he could smile, he did.

"You will not harm the boy General, not while I stand to defend him" replied Obi-Wan pointing his blue lightsaber at Grievous. By this point, the clones began to encircle around Grievous with guns raised ready for anything. The black visors focused solely on Grievous, intent on killing the cyborg here and now.

"We'll see about that," Grievous laughed as the clones began firing. With ease, the general cut them down one by one. They posed no threat to the four blades. The general showed no mercy as he sliced and stabbed. In fact, a sinister, sadistic look was glazed upon his yellow eyes.

"Cody, back your men off now!" replied Obi-Wan as he rushed in to get Grievous' attention so the clones could fallback. Obi-Wan raised his lightsaber in a defensive position as he approached Grievous. The general merely laughed and pulled away from the clones, walking briskly towards Kenobi.

Cody did as the general asked and ordered his men to fallback. As they fell back, Cody saw Obi-Wan rush in and lock blades and wits with General Grievous, and all the clones could do was watch, as the two battled with their lightsabers.

Grievous cackled as he pushed Obi-Wan back with his blade. In two of his hands, in which he carried blue lightsabers-each from a Jedi Padawan-he rotated his wrists, causing them to spin. Ever so closer to Kenobi they came, threatening to deliver a killing strike.

**Arthur's POV**

I was still helping the clones with the perimeter in the back lines sensed Obi-Wan in trouble, and wanted to go save my master, but that would result in breaking my master's wishes of staying behind. I decided to take the chance and accept my punishment later, but right now I needed to save my master from whatever peril he was in.

"Waxer, hold this position here and continue with patrolling the perimeter around the base, I have to go save Kenobi" I ordered.

"Yes sir" came Waxer's firm reply, and he went off to give the other clones assistance.

I gave a huff to clear my nerves, and then I turned and ran in the direction that Kenobi, Cody, and the other clones walked off in earlier. I hoped I wasn't too late, and that I wouldn't arrive to see Kenobi badly injured or worse. I began feeling my way with the force to where Obi-Wan was. As I approached where the force was leading me, I could hear the cackling of Grievous in the distance.

I slowed my pace upon hearing the clash of lightsabers. Had I not heard the general's comment, I might have run in there blind. "The boy is weak," the cyborg croaked, "He'll die before this war is over. He is no Chosen One." Instantly, I felt something boil in my blood. Sure, Skywalker was the Chosen One, but the retort still stung nonetheless. But, Grievous is going to regret that comment. I'll make sure of it.

I saw Grievous about to swing his lightsabers down on Kenobi, who was knocked to the ground and I instinctively ignited my blue blade and ran towards them. Jumping in front of my master, I blocked Grievous' incoming strike.

"This ends now Grievous. No more blood will be spilt today" I said with anger in my voice.

"They send a child to save a Jedi," the cyborg shot a sinister gaze towards me, "How pathetic?" He disengaged his sword from mine and stepped back. Grievous seemed to be scrutinizing me under that evil mask of his.

"You will answer for you crimes against the republic" I said. I was trying to block out his verbal jabs at me, but they began to take their effect, as I started to let them dictate my actions.

"And who is going to ensure that," he asked, "_You?_ I'd like to see you try, young Jedi." The cyborg stood in a stance ready to attack me.

"I will do more than try Grievous" I said angered, as I raised my lightsaber in front of me ready for what Grievous may do.

"Such a waste," the general said before leaping. His blades spun and I could feel the heat against my cheek. As Grievous' blades came crashing down upon me, I waited till the last second and rolled under his legs to avoid his lightsabers, and to get behind him. After rolling, I quickly got up and took a multiple swings at his back.

Seemingly knowing my every move, the general had spun around. His lightsabers now clashed with mine, pushing me down further. "You are doomed, young Jedi," he cackled, "Nothing can save you."

I focused on using the force to aid me in my struggle, trying to focus on pushing back the general's lightsabers with my own blade. His lightsabers were so close to my face that I could feel the heat against my skin. It got so hot against my skin that I couldn't take it anymore and with a free hand, I pushed as hard as I could with the force pushing Grievous back slightly so that I could have some space to work. I then went back on the offensive with strike after strike at Grievous trying to find a weakness that I could use to my advantage.

The cyborg didn't seem to sweat. He almost...enjoyed...my blazing attacks. No matter what I tried, Grievous just seemed to block it with ease. It was almost as if my hatred of him fed some sort of energy to the sadistic general. I could feel the energy draining from me as I continued to unsuccessfully strike at the general, so in order to save my strength for later, I had to stop, which Grievous took advantage of and started his attacks.

Grievous' attacks were ferocious, with every strike he made it forced me to take a step back, which started to back me into a corner. Now I needed every ounce of strength I could muster. I continued to block his attacks, but I grew weak, and was having trouble keeping up with four lightsabers.

I remember Master Kenobi once saying that one mistake is all it took. And that is exactly what happened. I slid slightly on my right foot, allowing Grievous a large enough window to force my blade out of my hand. With my defense gone, he quickly made a slash at my leg. I moved away, but not in time to avoid the searing pain in my knee. Looking down, I almost gasped as I saw the cauterized gash above my knee cap. I instantly fell to the ground as the pain was unbearable. Grievous didn't stop either continuing to kick me while I was down, and insulting me as he kicked me across the ground multiple times.

"I'll save you for last, youngling. Now, watch as I kill Kenobi."

I watched as Grievous left me on the ground in immense pain, and started to walk toward Kenobi, who was probably in more pain than I was. My master didn't even try to get up. Besides the pain, all I could see was tranquility written on his face. But, no matter how ready he was for this, I am not going to let it happen. I rose to my feet, despite the initial pain that swept through my body, and ignited my lightsaber once more.

"NOOO!" I screamed as loud as I could, and without thinking twice, I rushed at Grievous, hacking and swinging my blade with all the strength I could muster. I began to penetrate through his defenses and started lashing out at him, and he began to roar in pain. One strike grazed his chest plate, causing a deep, guttural cough to erupt from his throat. I did not stop there. I continued to pour on the quick strikes toward Grievous, as he desperately tried to block them, but continued to fail.

The smirk was now gone from his gaze. As I looked into those yellow, scarred eyes, I saw confusion and fear. Seeing this in Grievous drove me even more. My strikes became more violent and blunt, and managed to land my lightsaber on his right arm completely separating it from his body. The metal clanked onto the ground and I smiled at the cyborg's reaction. There was no anger, just terror.

"What's wrong General? You look different" I said in a sarcastic tone.

Perhaps I shouldn't have said that. Now, that terror and fear was gone: replaced by the sinister nightmare that was the general. Grievous became filled with rage after what I had said to him and charged right at Arthur wanting to inflict the same pain that Arthur gave to him. Grievous raised his left arm with his two lightsabers and came down hard on me. I decided on using the force to help me block his strike, then spun to my left and came around to land a strike on Grievous' back, which was answered by a roar of pain and anger from Grievous.

Grievous turned to face me and looked like he was getting ready to charge, but I used the force, pushing Grievous up against the base of a mountain and rushed in on Grievous, but Grievous was able to kick me away and then charged at me again. I blocked a couple of shots from Grievous then landed another clean cut on Grievous' other split arm, which caused one of Grievous' two arms to fall to the ground with another thud, and a roar of pain from Grievous. Grievous also fell and slid onto the ground due to the strength of the blow that I had delivered.

I slowly walked over to Grievous till I was directly above him, rage and hatred in my eyes. I was going to make Grievous pay for what he did to my master and the clones I called my friends-who were now dead on the ground. Last of all, he would pay for all the crimes he has committed in the past.

I raised my lightsaber to deliver the killing blow; to bring a quicker end to this war. I could feel myself becoming more connected to the force as I stared down in anger at the general. The Force flowed through me, giving me incredible strength. It swarmed me and swirled around the hand that held the blade. As I was about to bring down my blade to end the general, I faintly heard my name being shouted from behind me.

**Obi-Wan's POV**

My eyes widened as I came to. Before me, Arthur stood over Grievous, ready to kill him in cold blood. As my eyes continued to focus in on the scene before me, I noticed that there were rocks and smaller pieces of debris floating in mid air, surrounding my young padawan and Grievous. It dawned on me and I felt as though I had been punched in the face: Arthur was using the Dark Side. I stood up making my way slowly to Arthur.

"Arthur!" I screamed as loud as my aching body would allow me to.

I must have gotten his attention because the blade that was heading straight for Grievous stopped in mid air, then seconds later once Arthur must have realized what he was doing, I saw his lightsaber deactivate and drop to the ground, and Arthur taking several steps back, then falling to his knees with his face buried in his hands and knees, looking ashamed. At this moment, I decided to call back up Cody and his men to contain Grievous, hoping this was our chance.

**Arthur's POV**

All I can think of is what I have just unleashed. That night with the man in the alley flooded into my mind, cutting me off from reality as the images replayed and screamed in my head. The fear in his eyes was almost identical to the look I received from Grievous. The monster inside of me had come out and now it was growing stronger. I looked at my master with sorrowful eyes only to see that my master has collapsed back onto the ground. Then suddenly I heard a lightsaber ignite and quickly looked in the direction of the sound, only to see Grievous with my blue blade in his hands.

I froze in place and let the adrenaline pump through my body and pound in my ears. The white noise of battle blinded me and blurred my vision. Grievous started to walk over to me slowly raising my blade above his head as he did so, but then I saw Commander Cody and the remaining clones from earlier appear.

"Drop the lightsaber Grievous, and surrender" ordered Cody, who had his blaster pointed at the General, along with every other clone that was present at the scene. He was not about to let this Separatist tinie escape once again.

"Surrender?" asked Grievous, while letting out a few coughs, "I will never surrender"

Grievous then turned his back toward me and faced the clones who now began to open fire on the general. Grievous started to block the shots from the clones, but saw that in his current condition that he was no match, and started to back up, while deflecting the shots. Grievous made it to a highly wooded area and disappeared into the trees, leaving with no trace.

**Arthur's POV**

Master Kenobi and I had just entered Coruscant and were heading to the Jedi Temple to give our report to the council. Just thinking about facing the Masters made me cringe. I hate council reports; I feel as if my soul is being inspected with a fine tooth comb, and I also feel that the council looks down upon me because of my problems. Ha, I bet they want to dump me off onto some other Jedi and give Kenobi a break.

Speaking of Kenobi: he was acting a bit strange. The hyperspace trip to Coruscant was too quiet. Master Kenobi and I had maybe exchanged words once for a brief time, and that was it, because neither of us wanted to bring up what happened during the fight with Grievous. He was probably very disappointed in me, so I can't wait to hear what he reports to the Council.

Master Kenobi and I landed on a docking port near the temple and began our long walk to the council doors. On our way up to the council we passed by Master Skywalker and Ahsoka, who gave me a smile, but all I could muster was a fake half smile back. I could sense the concern and confusion surround her as we kept walking. Master Kenobi and I walked further into the temple and arrived at the council doors.

When those doors open, there's no going back. Kenobi gave me one last reassuring smile and I returned it to him. It was odd, but I nonetheless appreciated the gesture. I took a deep breath as Kenobi opened the doors and walked in. Upon having twenty two eyes immediately glue to me, I wanted to freeze up or walk back out. I stayed back a bit and followed Kenobi a couple steps behind and to his right.

As we reached the center of the room, we stopped to bow before the Masters. Looking up, I tried to analyze their faces without being obvious. They all had a look of curiosity about them that made me dread the upcoming report. I knew they would look upon me differently now. They trusted me to change and hold back the darkness; but I failed.

But, as I looked around at the Masters, I noticed one who did not share the other's contempt. Her golden eyes analyzed me back yet had a calm look. She sat in a comfortable position and did not let her anger flow to her face-that is, if she bore that emotion at all. It was only for a split second, but I could tell there was something about her I did not like. Maybe it was the way she looked sophisticated and maybe snobby in a way. But, since I had never met her before, I was curious to know who she was.

"Padawan, what is your account of the incident?"

I struggled to find my words, as looked at all the eyes that were now aimed in my direction. Oh, this is going to be good, I thought.

**Narrator POV**

Arthur kept his head down and finally began to speak, after throwing in another glance at the female jedi that he had never seen before. Breaking her rock of a gaze, she looked curiously at him and gave him a gentle smile. That smile faded, however, just before Arthur found his voice.

"Master Kenobi and I had engaged the droid army led by General Grievous and had successfully pushed them back and began to gain the upper hand and continued our push. Master Kenobi told me to remain behind to set up a defensive position, but I had a feeling that he was in trouble and decided that I should go aid him, despite his orders for me to stay put" Arthur replied keeping his head down and looking at his feet.

"Master Kenobi, is this true so far?" asked Jedi Master Mace Windu.

The human Jedi silently took a deep breath and stood up straighter. "What Arthur is saying is partially true," he said. Without looking to see the reactions of his fellow Councilmen, he turned to look at Arthur. "It was my fault for failing to teach him to obey command."

Arthur continued to stare at the ground listening to Obi-Wan's comments, but as he listened it sounded to him as if Obi-Wan was not grateful that he had come to his rescue to save his master, and he became angry and full of rage that was directed toward Kenobi. Arthur looked at Kenobi and not the council of jedi sitting in a circle around him.

"I disobeyed my master to save his life!" Arthur said, a little too loudly and with a hint of anger in his voice. Still keeping his gaze on Kenobi with narrow eyes and clenched fists. "General Grievous had bested my master in combat and when I arrived, Master Kenobi was on the ground laying motionless, so I stepped in to block Grievous' killing blow!" said Arthur to defend himself, but still had the fire burning inside him that continued to grow and consume him.

Master Fisto tilted his head up; confusion, curiosity, and scold were present in his gaze. He turned slowly over to look at the female Master sitting next to him. Her blazing golden eyes met his and she gave a simple blink before turning back. With an emotionless look, she glanced over at Yoda. The two exchanged a nod and proceeded to return their attention to the boy.

"Padawan," the smooth and elegant voice of the woman echoed throughout the room. Her tone was both reprimanding and empathetic. She waited patiently for the boy to look to her.

Arthur almost immediately cooled down, hearing the smooth voice of the female jedi that wasn't present at his last meeting he had with the council, which in his opinion went a whole lot better than this one was turning out.

Arthur slowly turned his head to face the elegant master, not wanting to make too much eye contact, for he was ashamed of his recent outburst and was scared of the repercussions that he was about to face.

Once she was satisfied that he was listening, the woman opened her mouth to speak. "From what you have told us," she started, pausing to blink, "Your disobedience of your Master's wishes were not entirely in vain. As a Jedi, it is your duty to do what is best for the needs of others." She allowed Arthur to process her words and remained silent, though keeping her gaze upon him.

Arthur was taken back by the words that came from the female Jedi. He slowly raised his head up, straightening himself, to be more presentable to the council, and met the female Jedi's gaze.

"Would you like me to continue my side of the story?" asked Arthur politely not leaving his gaze upon the woman. Although he felt as though she were scolding him, her presence was keeping him calm.

Something flashed across the Jedi's face that only Master Yoda seemed to notice. However, she gave a courteous nod for him to do as he suggested. Her gaze tightened and the golden orbs once again searched for something in Arthur. She shifted her hands and flattened out her brown robe. From underneath, the golden shine of her armor peeked out.

Arthur took a couple seconds to cool himself down and get his thoughts in order, then began where he left off. The woman raised her head to signal he had her full attention.

"As I said before, Grievous was about to finish off Master Kenobi, so I jumped in and blocked Grievous' blade. Grievous and I began to lock our blades together in fierce combat, but I managed to gain the upper hand and had Grievous on the ground missing most of his limbs…." said Arthur before Kenobi interrupted him, slightly stepping in front of him.

The female Jedi took in a slow yet sharp breath and flickered her gaze to Kenobi.

"I do appreciate Arthur saving my life, but the way that Arthur allowed himself to accomplish this task is not the Jedi way. During his fight with Grievous, I came to and saw Arthur standing above the wounded general ready to deliver the final blow, but I felt pain, anger, and hate inside Arthur, along with small pieces of debris floating in mid air. I could not let him go through with killing Grievous in such a state, so I screamed his name. He responded by deactivating his lightsaber, and dropping it to the ground and came out of the trance that he was in." said Kenobi, who made eye contact with everyone in the room, but mostly kept his eyes on the female Jedi sitting almost directly in front of him.

She remained silent as the heads of her fellow Councilmen turned to her. After a few moments, her gaze turned to Arthur and studied him. "Is this true?" she asked him, gesturing for him to answer honestly.

"N-Y-Yes master, it is as he says. This council gave me a chance to become something more than what I was given in my past, as long as I was able to keep from falling into the darkness, but I have failed you," replied Arthur with a heavy heart, reverting his gaze from the female master in front of him to his feet on the floor, not wanting to see her reaction or any one's reaction for that matter. He knew that he blew his chance to become something more to honor his parents, and that the council would probably release him from the order and send him back to Delphon, where he would have to pick up the pieces and start all over again.

The Jedi narrowed her eyes in curiosity. She took a deep breath before turning to look at the fellow Masters. "This is meeting is dismissed," she said calmly as she turned back to look at Arthur. "Arthur, I wish to have a word with your master. The Council will call you back in to receive your punishment."

Arthur winced as he heard the word punishment, but he understood. Arthur took a deep breath and without saying a word turned and walked out of the council chambers and took a seat on a nearby bench and waited to be called in for his punishment.

The woman watched as he exited, a brow raised as she tried to analyze his reaction. But, as soon as it was time to bow, her curiosity ran dry. The Councilmen dipped in respect to one another-exempt Yoda-before turning to depart. Only the woman, Kenobi, and Yoda returned to their seats.

"What is it you wish to speak to me about?" asked Obi-Wan, who began to relax in his seat.

"Your Padawan is reckless," she responded, giving a sigh. "He needs discipline."

"Agree with her I do" came Yoda's shriveled voice.

"Arthur can be a pain sometimes, but his heart and his intentions are always pure. It's just that he lets himself fall too easily to the dark side. I would teach him how to control it, but this dreadful war take up most of my time" replied Obi-Wan trying to stick up for his troubled padawan.

"Feel Arthur needs a new master I do. One to teach him control" replies Yoda

"Master," the woman turned to Yoda, "Is that possible?"

"Indeed. Sense a strong presence in the force within Arthur I do. Teach him we must before too late it becomes" replied Yoda.

"Master," replied Obi-Wan, "If you wish to give Arthur a new master, I understand. I only want what is best for him" replied Obi-Wan.

"What course of action is to be taken for the boy?" the woman asked, raising a brow at the old Jedi. The curious gaze returned to her golden brown, calm eyes.

"Call Arthur in we should" replied Yoda

Master Kenobi rose from his seat and walked over to the council chamber doors and they opened. Kenobi noticed Arthur staring off into space and walked over to him.

"Come my young apprentice, the council has decided on your actions"

Arthur nervously rose to his feet and followed Kenobi back into the council room. Once inside Kenobi took his seat again, and Arthur walked into the middle of the room and stopped and bowed to all three masters present.

"What is it you have decided upon my masters?" asked Arthur nervously.

**Resist: Well there you go folks. That's chapter 3.**

**Arthur: Ok hold on, who is this chick?**

**Echo: Sorry, Arthur. You're going to have to wait 'til the next chapter to find out. **

**Arthur: I could just use the force and make you tell me. Muahahahaha**

**Echo (whispering to Resist): Can he do that? **

**Resist (slightly chuckling): No offense Arthur, but I don't want you to bring the house down. Remember what happened with Grievous?**

**Arthur: Whatever **

**Echo: Ah, well, thank you all for reading this chapter! Make sure to come back soon for our next installment so Arthur can find out who this Master is.**


	4. A New Path

_**(Arthur bursts into the room, blowing the door down with the force)**_

**Arthur: Finally, alright Echo, who is this chick at this council meeting?**

**Echo: Haha, well she's a leading member of the Jedi Council at the young age of 24. She was Master Yoda's most recent Padawan, so she is heavily influenced by a tranquil point of view. BUT, I'm not telling you her name yet. **

**Resist: Yeah Arthur, she is suppose to calm you down. I have to replace the door now!**

**Arthur: Oops**

**Echo: Not very smooth, Arthur. **

**Arthur: Whatever. Here is the story…..**

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

A New Path

"_The ice is coming!" - Mr. Freeze_

**Narrator's POV**

The women looked the young Padawan up and down, speculating how to formulate her words. He stands at around 5'11". He has his fair share of muscle for his age, but is only slightly toned. Has green eyes, and has slightly tanned skin: quite the opposite of the woman, who had fair skin and golden brown eyes. His hair is short and is jet black, unlike her long, brown hair. The padawan just wore a lightweight undertunic, which was tightly tucked in under his kama, where he straps his lightsaber, so that he was not constricted in his movements. He was also following in the steps somewhat of Obi-Wan and wears clone armor over his arms and knees.

It was then that the female Jedi noticed the boy no longer had a lightsaber. "Did your master confiscate your weapon?" she asked, looking from Arthur to Kenobi.

Arthur's face turned a slight shade of red, from embarrassment. He gave a quick look to Obi-Wan, who gave a slight nod to Arthur. "No he didn't master" replied Arthur, who started to worry about the others reaction to what he was about to say. "D-D-During the fight I had with Grievous, a-a-after I realized I was using the dark side, I deactivated and dropped my lightsaber. Grievous then took it and was about to kill me when the clones showed up. Grievous used my lightsaber to defend himself and to make his escape, s-s-so um, Grievous has m-m-my lightsaber" Arthur managed to say, hanging his head in shame.

"That's unfortunate," the woman said with scold and empathy as before, "We will arrange for you to go along with the next Gathering so you may construct a new blade."

"Thank you master" replied Arthur, who was still ashamed that he allowed for his lightsaber to be taken from him. Kenobi always told him that his weapon was his life, and he allowed Grievous to take it from him.

"Perhaps, together you two should go," suggested Yoda to Arthur and the female jedi master.

"Wait what," replied Arthur and the female jedi together. The woman raised a brow and her usual calm drained from her face.

"I don't even know her!" shouted Arthur, with surprise in his voice. "Why would she even come with me anyway?" question Arthur giving a glance to the woman. She replied with narrowed, blazing eyes, scrutinizing him. "I would watch your words if I were you, young one."

"Your new master, making her I am," replied Yoda. The woman stared wide-eyed at the old Jedi. "Master, you can't be serious. I have not applied for a Padawan yet. Besides, Arthur is Obi-Wan's Padawan."

"Discussed this already we have, my former apprentice. Ready you are for such a responsibility" replied Yoda. The woman found no reassurance in her old master's voice.

"I also already said that if Yoda feels that Arthur needs a new master to teach him, then I am willing to step aside" replied Obi-Wan, who has been sitting quietly taking in the situation.

"So you gave me to her!" replied Arthur pointing a finger at the female master, while directing his attention to Kenobi. "After all we've been through, you just up and gave me away!" shouted Arthur at Kenobi.

"I am _not _ready," the woman mumbled, sitting back in her chair.

"Enough," came Master Yoda's voice. Though the voice sounded old, Yoda still had a presence that automatically gave him authority. The outburst was unexpected, even for Obi-Wan.

"About each other, much to learn you two have," replied Yoda shifting his gaze between both Arthur and his former apprentice. "This mission, help you it will" finished Yoda.

"Well Master, best be on our way" replied Arthur in a deep, angered tone, which did not go unnoticed by the female jedi. As he turned and started to walk toward the doors to exit the jedi council room. The woman only glared at him as he walked away, seething with anger.

"Arthur," replied Obi-Wan getting his former padawan's attention. "You must first be introduced to your new master" continued Obi-Wan in his usual calming voice.

"Sorry Master Kenobi. My mistake" replied Arthur in a more respectable tone, before switching his sight to the female jedi, who only received a bitter glare from Arthur. She returned the favor and stood up. Taking a few steps towards the boy, she looked down at his eyes, being just an inch higher. "Oni Kao," she said calmly, waiting for the lad to introduce himself.

"Arthur Perry" he replied under his breath, still not happy about his current arrangement, but bowing before Oni Kao nonetheless.

Oni sighed silently and continued to look calmly upon her new apprentice. The tension could be cut with a knife, however, as all four remained silent and expectant. Arthur rose back to his feet, and turned his body so that his side was facing his new master, and gestured with his hand that they should leave. "Shall we" he said.

His anger was still noticeable, but he was trying his best to become more calm toward his new master. He was sure this was his last chance to become a jedi, and new the arrangement he was in was permanent.

"When this mission is complete," Oni was hesitant to move, but still walked a few paces behind Arthur, "You and I will be having a discussion on manners and being proper." Giving the boy a hard glance, she quickened her pace so that she was walking in front of him.

"Yes Master" Arthur said, quiet enough for only Oni to hear and no one else, he then slowed his pace down and put more distance between the two.

"The Younglings will meet you in the hanger" came Obi-Wan's voice out from the council room, as Arthur and Oni left.

As the new master and apprentice walked down the halls, fellow Jedi looked at them with curious and confused looks. Some gave sympathetic glances: others scoffed in amusement. They could feel the tension between the pair.

Oni never looked back at Arthur for the duration of the trip. She only kept her pace and a calm look. Even as they came into the hangar, the same look was plastered onto the fair-skinned face. However, once they reached the shuttle, she managed a smile to greet their escort.

"Commander," she gave the clone with olive-colored armor and respectful nod. "I presume you will be accompanying us to rendezvous with the Younglings?" Oni completely ignored Arthur, who stood beside her, as she engaged with the clone officer.

"Of course," the man gave a stoic smile, "Though the men won't be too excited about it." Master Kao nodded to his comment, "Well, they'll have to make peace with it, then." The corners of the commander's lip twitched into a smile. But when his amber gaze settled upon Arthur, he raised a brow. Turning to Oni, he opened his mouth to speak, though frozen there for a moment. "Sir, I thought you said you didn't want a Padawan." The woman took in a sharp breath and turned to look at Arthur. "He's-"

"It wasn't by choice," replied Arthur "She doesn't want me by her side" said Arthur meeting Oni's gaze.

She narrowed her eyes at him before turning back to her commander. "Commander Green, this is Arthur Perry," she gestured between the two, "Arthur, this Marshal Commander Green. He's the man in charge of the Tenth Star Corps. When I'm not around, you do _what _he says and _when_ he says it. Understand?"

"Yes Master," replied Arthur, turning his gaze to Commander Green and lightening his mood, "Pleasure sir" replied Arthur.

Green's eyes widened for a split second, but he pushed his surprise to the side and gave the kid a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I don't bite," he said with a chuckle.

Master Fisto appeared at the other end of the hanger, looking like he was scanning for something, then his eyes met Arthur's and he started his walk toward them. Accompanying Master Fisto was four Younglings that were going to travel with the master and padawan to Ilum to find kyber crystals for the construction of their lightsabers.

Oni gave the Jedi Master a warm smile. She turned to the Younglings and looked happy to see them. "You all look ready to go," she said as she knelt down to greet them.

"These are the Younglings that will be traveling with you to Ilum" replied Fisto giving Master Kao a bow.

Oni returned the gesture of respect, "Will you be accompanying us, Master?"

"Sadly no, I will not be. Master Yoda wishes that you take charge of this gathering," replied Fisto. Fisto then leaned closer to Kao to whisper something to her. "He feels it will help you with Arthur." The woman rolled her eyes and gave a slight nod, "Of course he did. Thanks, Kit."

"Not a problem" he replied and gave a bow and took his leave. After watching him leave, Oni turned to the four Younglings. There was a green Twi'lek male, a gray Togruta female, and two human boys that looked to be at least fraternal twins. "I bet you four can't wait," the woman smiled as the four began chattering in joy.

Arthur couldn't help but see how his new master showed great kindness to the younglings, and in his arrogance, thought that she would want one of them rather than himself as her padawan. Arthur then realized he and Green were standing in the middle of the boarding ramp and immediately they both backed away so the Younglings could get aboard, who were then followed by Kao, Arthur and Green. As they entered their seats, Arthur plugged in the coordinates for the navacomputer and prepared for the jump to hyperspace, neither of them exchanging words while Oni took the controls of the ship to get them out of Coruscant's atmosphere. Once free, Oni then pulled a lever, which allowed them to enter hyperspace.

Oni turned to look at Arthur and then the commander. She glanced over her shoulder at the door of the cockpit. "Arthur, I need you to go watch the Younglings," she said coldly, whilst checking the navacomputer.

"You want rid of me that badly master?" asked Arthur. "Green could easily watch over the four Younglings with no problem."

"The same rules for Green apply to me as well," Oni said as she turned to glare at her new apprentice, "You do _what_ I say and _when_ I say it." Green sat uncomfortably in his seat and continued to look between the bickering duo. "I could look after the kids," he said, "But leaving the two of you alone to slice each others throats doesn't seem like a good idea." His words appeared to go unnoticed as the Jedi scowled at each other.

However, Oni turned to him, "No, commander. I asked Arthur to go and he _will _follow that order." Green shook his head and sat back in his chair, looking out the viewport. "This is going to be a long trip," he mumbled underneath his breath.

Arthur kept their glaring contest going for a while, till he accepted his master's wishes and got up to check on the Younglings. He advanced down the hall to see all four of them huddled together talking about what color they hope their crystals are. Arthur would never join in on their conversation, but thinking to himself, wanted his new crystal to be blue like his old one.

**Arthur's POV **

"No," the Togruta female said in an over confident tone, "Mine is going to be gold." One of the human boys-the one with more brown than blonde, unlike his brother-scoffed at her. "Are you kidding me?" he stared at her in disbelief, "I want a green lightsaber like Master Fisto or Master Kao."

I chuckled at the comment made by the Togruta girl's, but quickly stopped when the boy mentioned Master Kao. I must have chuckled too loud because all four of the Younglings turned in my direction. "What color do you want?" the Twi'lek asked, raising a brow.

"My old lightsaber was blue, so I'm hoping my crystal I find today will also be blue," I replied, earning a smile from the Twi'lek boy, but earning curious faces from the others."What happened to your old one?" the blonde twin asked.

"Taken by General Grievous" I answered with grit in my voice. I was still not happy about losing my weapon, my life, over to Grievous. "During a fight with Grievous, he was able to take my lightsaber and escape from me and Master Kenobi" I answered. "Any more questions" I ask in a humorous tone. All the kids hands shot up at once, and I laughed at this.

"What's it like working with a Council member?" "How many battles have you fought in?" "How awesome is it to fight alongside a marshal commander?" "Is being a Padawan as great as they say?"

"Woah, woah, woah. One at a time" I said, still chuckling. I pointed to the Togruta girl, so that she may ask her question first. "Okay," she smiled in joy, "How many battles have you fought in?"

"Too many" I replied. "This war has been going on for a long time, long before I even became a Padawan, and has no end in sight." I answered. The young girl nodded, though seemed slightly disappointed. Perhaps that I was not as enthusiastic to fight as she was?

"Can I go next?" the Twi'lek boy asked, jumping up and down slightly.

I nod my head, signaling for him to ask his question, which brought a gigantic smile across his face. "What's it like fighting alongside Green and Master Kao?" he paused for a moment to express his excitement, "They're, like, the best team out there: even better than Master Skywalker and Captain Rex."

"I honestly do not know the answer to that question. I have just been assigned as Master Kao's padawan recently, against my wishes. I started as Master Kenobi's padawan, but there was a mission that went wrong because of me, and Master Yoda assigned Master Kao to now supervise my Jedi training" I answered, trying not to tell them why exactly I was transferred to Master Kao.

"I don't know what you did to make her so mad," came Green's voice.

I jumped at the voice and spun on my heels, to come face to face with Marshal Commander Green. "L-L-Like I told the Youngling. I was assigned to her against my wishes, and hers," I said "The Council, namely Master Yoda, arranged this, plus I kinda spoke when I shouldn't have about this arrangement after Master Yoda announced it"

"Uh-huh," Green narrowed his eyes at me from underneath his helmet. The Younglings couldn't see, but I could feel the tension radiating off of the man. "Well then maybe the two of you should take a break and cool off for a bit," he said in a calm tone. After he gave me one last glare, he turned to the Younglings.

Kneeling down, he took of his helmet and smiled at them. "Are we playing truth or dare?" he chuckled, "I'm kind of confused on what's going on."

"We were asking him questions on what it's like to be a padawan" came the Togruta's voice, while pointing a finger at me. I smiled back politely at her.

"I am curious," Green turned to me expectantly. He raised a brow at me and gestured that he was waiting for an answer. But in his eyes I could see that he was not asking a straight question. A glint of ominous hung in his gaze.

"Being a padawan is tough, and it doesn't get any easier as you move up the ranks. Just ask Master Kao, she is a leading member of the jedi council," I replied, looking at Green. He gave an approving nod, "That sounds a lot like flash training back on Kamino."

The man turned and looked at the Younglings for moment. "Sorry, kiddos, but Arthur and I need to head back to the bridge," he sighed. Immediately, the four began whining and begging them to stay, which only made the commander laugh. "General's orders," Green said as he put on his helmet. Looking at me, he gave a gesture for me to follow him down the hall.

We were walking down the hall to go to the bridge, when I was suddenly pushed and went into the room to our left. I took a second or two to balance myself, and then realized we were in the mess hall. I turned and faced Green with anger all over my face. "What the heck was that for?" I yelled at him.

"Well, what happened on the bridge and back at the temple," he threw back at me. Taking his helmet off, I could now see the glare in his amber eyes.

"It's not hard. Master Kao doesn't want me as a padawan, and I wish I was still at Master Kenobi's side. Master Kao made it pretty clear that she doesn't want me around back at the council" I snapped back.

Green frowned at my words and thought for a moment. He gazed around at the lunch tables as if a reply were written on them. "Are you sure about that?" he asked with a sigh.

"Yes," I answered very sternly, then came one of my own questions. "Why would you even care?" I answered with anger in my voice.

The man looked lost in thought once again as he processed an answer. "It's complicated, kid," Green said as he sat down on the nearest bench. With a hand, he signaled for me to sit down on the one opposite him.

I sat, slightly chuckling to myself about having to follow Green's orders when he gave them to me. "How so?" I asked, curious to how my situation with Master Kao was complicated.

"Like the Youngling said," Green started, "General Kao and I are a team. And when members of that team start to bite at each other, the system falls apart. I need you to promise me that you won't provoke anything. Understood?"

"I don't know about that, I kinda dug a pretty deep hole. It will take time to climb back out of it," I answered to him, giving him my honest opinion on the matter.

"I guess that's the best answer I can get," Green said with a slight chuckle, "Though I kinda agree with you on that. She was pretty ticked off when she kicked me out of the cockpit."

"She kicked you out too?" I replied shocked at what I heard. I understood why she kicked me out, basically because of us being at odds with each other, but I never thought that Green would get kicked out, seeing how close these two were.

"Like I said," Green gave a smirk and a hearty chuckle, "You did a nice job of ticking her off."

**Narrator POV**

As they dropped out of hyperspace and arrived at their destination, Oni took control of the ship and piloted it down to the extremely cold surface of Ilum. Once they had safely landed, the 3 clones, including Green, exited first in snow trooper gear, followed by Oni and Arthur, who walked in silence. The Younglings walked about, gazing through the storm.

"Arthur," Oni began, in her usual calm voice, "This is Ilum, where you will be joining the Younglings on a quest for a kyber crystal, so that you may build your new lightsaber"

"Yes Master" replied Arthur in a short, disrespecting tone back to Oni. He already knew about this place and the temple, and just wanted to get this over with.

"Didn't your parents ever teach you manners and respect?" asked Oni. She never would show it, but she was getting tired of Arthur always being disrespectful and always having anger toward her. After all, Oni was a Jedi Master, and even though she wasn't the most powerful, she did earn the respect for getting there.

Arthur stopped dead in his tracks at the mention of his parents. The Younglings were now making their way toward Oni. Arthur turned his head to the right, so that it was just above his right shoulder, then with his eyes made contact with Oni's. "My parents are dead" Arthur replied just loud enough for his master to hear, then ran off ahead to join Green in scouting, leaving his master standing in her tracks, so that she did not see a few tears trickle down his face.

Oni glanced around at the white here and the white everywhere. Guilt plastered her face and she watched as the young man began walking with her commander. "I'm going to have a long conversation with Master Yoda when this is over," she said as she rolled her eyes and sighed in frustration.

**Arthur's POV**

I quickened my pace so that I was walking stride for stride with Green. "Can I join you?" I asked him, wiping away the last of my tears.

Having been talking with his men via helmet comm., Green turned to me and gave a crisp nod. "I guess your first attempt went well?" he said sarcastically, but with humor. Either he didn't notice the red, puffiness of my eyes or he didn't want to bring it up.

His reply brought a small smile to my face. "No, no it didn't" I said with a hint of sorrow that I let Green down. He was trying his best to get me and Master Kao to patch up our relationship, and he trusted me to do it, but I failed him again.

"Healing takes time, kid," he reassured me, "Especially with women; they're not as simple-minded as we are sometimes." I gave him a questioning glance with a bit of a humored smile, to which he returned. "I'm kidding," Green laughed, "But don't tell the general I said that."

"Understood" I answered him, giving him a humorous salute. We came upon the temple and waited for Master Kao to arrive so that the Younglings and I could begin our quest for kyber crystals. To tell the truth, I was nervous. With everything that was going on lately, between Grievous, and my not so great relationship with my master, I could tell it was going to be a long day.

**Oni's POV**

I watched as Arthur returned from his walk with Green. To be honest, I was curious as to what the two boys had talked about, but soon pushed away my curiosity. Turning to the Younglings beside me, I gestured out in front of me. "Younglings," I shouted over the blizzard, "Look at that glacier."

Just a couple dozen meters away from our position, an ice boulder was lodged inside the face of a glacier.

"Master, what's so important about that glacier?" asked the twin that had more blonde hair.

"Focus on moving it together," I replied and held out my hand. I could feel their confusion through the Force, but ignored it. Once I had begun to remove the boulder, the Younglings followed suit. I could feel another presence in the force as Arthur began to help as well.

Trying not to think about what Arthur had said before, I continued to contribute in lifting the rock. Truth be told, I was very proud of these Younglings and my Padawan. Most groups did not remove the boulder with such ease.

Once the boulder was fully lifted, the temple doors began to fall back. "I can see the temple!" shouted the Togruta youngling, starting to get really excited as the doors continued opening slowly.

The other Younglings began to cheer as well, as they all opened their eyes to see the temple. They all began to run to the doors, eager to start their journey, except for Arthur, who actually stood back by me, and waited for me to give the ok to go to the temple.

"Be careful," I shouted out to the Younglings in fear they would slip and fall. Slowly, I made my way over towards the temple, gesturing for Arthur to follow me. Arthur continued to follow me at a distance, I guess he was still trying to keep his distance from me.

"Master, are you coming with us inside the temple?" I heard Arthur ask.

"Of course," I huffed out, not too fond of the blizzard, "In due time, apprentice, in due time. Like Master Sinube says, rushing leads to disaster. You should take some notes from him sometime."

"What's that got to do with the temple, it's not exactly dangerous?" Arthur supplied back at me, with his usual short tempered voice.

"Obviously you have never ventured to the temple," I sighed and refused to roll my eyes. "Younglings have frozen to death in those caves, so yes, it is dangerous."

"You probably wish that will happen to me, seeing how you didn't want me as your padawan in the first place, and that you would probably want one of those Younglings instead anyway" he snapped back at me, before rushing inside the temple ahead of me.

I stopped and stood with my mouth ajar. Not only was his attitude deeply upsetting me, but his accusations were starting to strike a nerve. I do not know how to respond to his outburst, but I know it will not go unpunished.

**Arthur's POV**

I ran ahead after my short tempered comment to my master, and caught up with the Younglings inside the temple and began to look over the place, as we waited for Master Kao to come in and give us the ok to start our quest for kyber crystals. As I continued to wait, I was lost in the beauty of the cave. The cave was covered in drawings and paintings and I stared aimlessly at each one. As I was staring at one of the pictures, I was brought back to reality when I heard the voice of Master Kao when she stepped into the temple.

"This temple is sacred to the Jedi," she said, "But it does have its dangers, Younglings." I watched as she looked up to the top of the ceiling and raised her hand. A dial began to turn as she used the Force. A mechanism opened a port to the outside sunlight of Illum. We all turned to watch as the sunlight shone onto the crystal wall. Quickly, it began to melt away and run off as water.

"This cave," Master Kao turned to look at the opening, "Holds the dangers and trials you must face. To become a Jedi, you must earn your crystal, but not without obstacles. If you do not return before the door freezes shut, you will be trapped inside; and no one will be able to help you." She looked at all our faces before giving us a smile.

"Go now, Younglings," she said, "Your time is running short."

We began our journey deeper into the temple. I lead the way for the Younglings down some tight pathways with ice on either side. We finally made it to a small clearing, and before us lay several different pathways, I scanned the room thinking an answer existed on one of the walls.

"What path do we take?" asked one of the twins.

"Not exactly sure." I answered. I continued to scan the paths looking for some kind of answer to the younglings question, and my question as well. I looked at the path to the far right, and saw a figure in the distance. I began to analyze the person who stood there locking eyes with me, and gave me a slight smile. The person looked very familiar to me, as I continued to gaze upon the figure, which was obviously a woman. She wore a skin tight black sleeveless shirt with black skin tight pants as well with a pistol strapped around her thigh, and an arm sleeve on her right arm, while having an ink design on her left arm. I slowly turned my gaze up to her face, as I began to realize who it was, as I went back over my memories. She had the same red hair to her shoulders, and the same electric blue eyes, that when they made contact with my sea green eyes, always felt like they were looking into my soul.

"Mia?" I whispered, earning questionable looks from the Younglings. As I said this, Mia gave me a wink and started to walk through the path on the far right. I turned to the Younglings, who still had their questionable looks on their faces.

"I think we are suppose to choose our own path, and make our own way to our crystals" I answered them then immediately darted toward the tunnel that Mia disappeared down, leaving the Younglings to make their own choices.

But, as I kept running, I couldn't see her. Perhaps I had just imagined her? No, that was Mia and I know she's here somewhere. I can feel her presence as if she were standing right in front of me. I continued to grow impatient as I searched for her, almost forgetting why I was in this frigid cave in the first place. I was walking through a tight spaced path, scanning near the ceiling, where other paths loomed above me, obviously the temple was bigger than it appeared to be. I stopped in my tracks, trying to focus back on what I was suppose to be looking for, my kyber crystal. I then sat down in a meditative position, with my legs crossed, and tried to focus on the crystal with the force.

"Arthur" I heard a familiar voice call out to me. I opened my eyes and looked in the direction I heard the sound, and saw Mia standing out in the distance again on one of the above paths, curse her ability to disappear and reappear in the blink of an eye without giving herself up, unless she wanted to.

I used the force and lept from the ground into the air to reach the same path Mia was standing on, watching me intently. I landed quietly and looked in her direction, and she gave me another smile, and started running again, so I followed her again, running faster than I did before not wanting to lose sight of her again.

**Oni's POV**

I paced back and forth, trying to ignore the advancing ice. Arthur and the Younglings don't have much time left and none of them have returned yet. Feeling the need to remove the worry from my mind, I brought my wrist up. "Commander? How's the perimeter looking?"

"_Good, general. We'll start making our way back to the ship momentarily," _he paused for a moment and I could no longer hear the background sound of snow crunching beneath his step. _"Sir, it's getting dark out here." _At his words, I sighed deeply and rolled my eyes, contrary to how I normally deal with situations. Perhaps becoming a master would change me.

"I know, commander," I said calmly, "Just get back here. We should be done within the hour. Let me know when the ship is ready to go."

"Yes, sir."

I felt a smile form on my face as the sound of small feet echoed in the distance. Looking over at the doorway, which was already halfway shut, I noticed a familiar gray face approaching. "Well done, young one," I greeted as the little girl came running up to me.

She laughed and held up an impressive kyber crystal. Hesitantly, she lowered her hand and began looking at the door. "Did Arthur or the others come back?" she asked. Silently inhaling, I looked from the young girl to the door. "No," I said calmly. However, on the inside, I was secretly worrying for my Padawan's safety.

_He should be back by now. _

**Arthur's POV**

As I chased Mia through the temple, for what seemed like hours when we came to this major major clearing, bigger than the one at the beginning where I last saw the Younglings. I lost sight of Mia again, but continued to scan the room, as I slowly walked around. In the middle of the room was a gigantic opening, which small ice formations at the bottom surrounding a huge, thick ice formation in the middle. I began to scan the formation all the way to the top, where there was a blue glow shining. I immediately thought it was the kyber crystal and backed up from the edge to get a running start.

Once I got to what I thought was a good distance, I began to run toward the edge, and with all my might, plus some force usage, I jumped for the top of the ice formation. I made contact with the formation, earning a crackle of the ice, which made me close my eyes and hold on for dear life as I started to slide down the formation. Digging my hands as hard as I could, gained some grip and slowed my descent down, and then started to climb up the formation to the top, where I found my blue kyber crystal, and allowed a triumphant smile to appear on my face. I grabbed the blue crystal and using the force jumped back to safety, when I landed and got up to my feet, I found Mia standing in front of me.

"Congratulations Arthur, I've never lost faith in you since leaving you on Delphon," she said to me, her electric blue eyes still locking eye contact with my green ones.

"I miss you Mia" I said. I haven't seen her since the day I left Delphon and joined the Jedi Order. I went to reach out to her with my hand, but she held up her hand to stop me.

"I must get going Arthur, I wish you the best of luck, and I will always continue to have faith in you," she said to me while backing away from me.

She turned and started to run off, but I wanted to still talk to her, and so I ran after her. We went down several pathways and ended up at a dead end. She was still facing away from me, when I reached out to her and put my hand out to grab her shoulder and spin her around so I could talk to her more, but as my hand made contact with her shoulder, she began to fade and become transparent before disappearing altogether. I should have known it was the force playing tricks on me, but I didn't have time to think on that, as the cave began to shake violently and the tunnel I was in began cracking above me, before falling in on me, _just wonderful, _I thought.

**Oni's POV**

Ever since the young Togruta had come back, shortly followed by the others, my heart had started to pound faster in my chest. I could feel a strange wave of anxiety from the cave and hoped it did not belong to Arthur.

"Master Kao!"

Looking up, I noticed the young Twi'lek boy running from the doorway. "I found my crystal," he said with a pant, holding up the bright blue gem. Giving him an encouraging smile, I bowed my head and patted his shoulder. "Good job, young one. Join the others as we wait for Padawan Arthur."

As soon as the boy walked over towards his friends, I could feel the wave of anxiety hit me again. But this time, it was more forceful and...deadly. For the sake of our traditions, I did not try to call out to him, but my instinct spoke against it.

_Arthur? Are you alright? _

I looked up at the door and almost gasped. He only had about ten minutes at the most.

_Padawan, the door is almost shut! _

**Arthur's POV**

Arthur lost track of how long he was down in this temple, and judging by how cold he was, it has been a while. Arthur tried to move the fallen ice in front of my exit, but the cold was taking its effect, and he had little to no energy left. He slumped down on to the cold floor and sat there, waiting to die. Arthur was fighting to stay awake, but it was difficult, then he heard his master's voice in my head.

_Arthur? Are you alright?_

He didn't respond at first, because he was weak, but hearing his master's voice in his head got him thinking about how rude and how disrespectful he was to her. Arthur knew she didn't want him to be her padawan at first, but now looking back, she was doing her best to accept him, but all he did was make it harder for her and he felt bad about how he had treated her.

_Padawan, the door is almost shut!_

When she said those words to him, about almost being out of time, Arthur realized there was practically no hope for him to escape, even though he got what he came here for, his second bright blue crystal. Arthur decided that for the sake of his master, to ease her before he froze to death, which was the last way he thought he would go. Arhur thought it best to apologize and wish her well before it was too late.

_M-M-Master, _he got out, the shivering was obviously present in his answer to her, and he began to breath faster, but he kept himself going, so that he could tell her how sorry and how wrong he was.

_Arthur, you must leave, now! _Oni's voice came out hoarse and distressed, almost as if she were trapped herself. She sent waves of energy through the Force to Arthur in order to keep him alive. _Arthur, what's wrong? Talk to me. _

_Master, I-I can't leave. Please know that I'm so s-s-sorry for how I acted and that I-I wish you the b-b-best. _Arthur's voice was weak and shivering from the cold, but felt a wave of energy hit him, that would keep him alive a little longer. _I'm t-t-trapped in a cave in with no way out._

_What? I'm on my way! _With lightning speed thanks to the Force, Oni sprinted up the steps and through the doorway in a mere second. Using her heightened senses to find her apprentice, the young woman began running through the maze Arthur had caught himself into.

Arthur felt the presence of his master growing stronger, which meant she was getting closer to him. _Master, w-w-what are you doing? There is no time to r-r-rescue me, _came Arthur's shivering voice in her head.

_No, I will not let you freeze to death. _Oni shook her head at the thought of leaving her student behind. Sure, they had their differences, but Arthur was a minor and under no circumstances would she ever leave a minor to die. However, she was getting frustrated. Her senses were tuned in and she could feel his Force signature as if he were standing right in front of her, but she could not see him.

Arthur could feel his master right outside the ice that was blocking him from being set free from this prison, and gave one last shout with his dying voice.

"Master!" screamed Arthur as loud as he could, causing him to cough uncontrollably, and fall to the ground in pain.

"Arthur!" Oni exclaimed as her golden eyes widened. In no time, she placed her hand on the ice wall and focused in. As her eyes closed, the frozen prison began to crack and crumble. _Stand back! _

Arthur heard his master in his head, and did as she said. He slowly stood up and staggered his way to the very back of the cave, and waited for what his master planned on doing.

Suddenly, the ice exploded in a last crack from the Force. Oni waited for the debris to fall before opening her eyes. Once her sharp, golden gaze fell upon Arthur, she stood up. "Come on, young one," Kao said, offering her hand to help the weakened Padawan over the layer of shards. "We have to go, now."

Arthur stood and took his master's hand with what grip he had. Oni allowed him to put weight on her shoulder as she helped balance him as they back tracked their way to the temple doors, which were almost frozen shut.

At the most, there was two feet of space left. As the two got up to the doorway, Oni began pushing Arthur down. "Go on then," she encouraged, "Padawan first." Her pushing increased as the two feet became a foot and a half.

Arthur with all his might, crawled below the ice as quick as he could, trying to give his master enough time to also make it through, or her decision to risk her life for both of them to make it out of here alive, would be in vain.

As soon as Arthur was on the other side, Oni dropped down and began sliding out on her back. She winced as she could feel the ice starting to crush her. It burned like a fire grazing her skin. When only her right leg was left, the ice had caught up with her. Holding back a cry of pain, the Jedi Master pulled out her leg. The action caused the ice to dig into her skin.

When she was out, Oni lay sprawled on the concrete steps, gasping for breath. With the Force, she could feel that something was off. Looking down, she saw a crimson tint around the fresh cut in her leggings. "Sith spit," she muttered underneath her breath. Sitting up, she began to inspect the wound. But, as soon as she touched the cut, she exclaimed in pain.

Arthur also noticed the cut, and ordered the Twi'lek to get a medic quickly. Arthur stood and slowly made his way over to his master and knelt down beside her. He saw her make eye contact with him, and all he could manage was a half smile, due to the worryness that was plastered on his face.

"Master….." he struggled to get out, not even trying to hide his emotions.

"You don't need to say it, Arthur," Oni said with ease. Bringing her wrist up, she sighed. "Commander, I'm going to need a bit of help getting back to the ship."

"_On my way, general. Are the kids okay?" _

"They're fine, but I just had a little accident, that's all," she said as turned and gave Arthur a reassuring smile. _"Good job, sir," _the man said with humor. "Just get back here, Green," Oni held down the laugh that creeped up her throat. _"Yes, sir." _

"Master, I'm sorry for everything and thanks for saving me" came Arthur, with sincerity in his voice. He felt like an idiot for not giving Master Kao the respect she deserved, and he really wanted to apologize for the comment he made about her wanting him to freeze to death, which was obviously not true.

"It's all in the past, Arthur," Oni said, giving him an appreciative nod. "Now," she managed a laugh, "I believe I could use some help getting out of the temple to Commander Green."

Arthur still worried, manages a smile and gives his master a hand and allows her to put some weight on him, and they make their way to Commander Green, with the Younglings in tow.

"Master, I don't know how you can be so forgiving of me, I messed up majorly." replied Arthur, still with sadness in his eyes, as he made eye contact with his master. He searched for hatred or anger, which he thought would be there.

"Hatred and anger leads to the Dark Side, Arthur," Master Kao said calmly, though obviously in pain, "There's a saying called "Forgive and Forget"; it works wonders."

"Yes master," replied Arthur, who decided to drop the subject, and focus on getting his master proper treatment for her wound, which she received saving him from a bitter cold end. He supported her all the way, till they got to Green, who then took the other side of Master Kao and helped Arthur walk her aboard.

"May I ask how this happened, sir?" Green snickered slightly. Turning to Arthur, he gave him an approving nod. "I can take it from here, kid," he said politely, "Good job earning that crystal."

"Well done indeed," Oni smiled. It turned into a grimace as she shifted her weight onto Green, who looked less than pleased by her efforts. "I may have cut myself on a shard of ice," the woman said once she was comfortable again. "A shard?" Green scoffed and looked to Arthur, asking for his side of the story.

"Yeah, well. I kinda ended up in a dead end and almost froze to death, if it wasn't for Master Kao, who came and rescued me, but the during her rescue of me, the door guarding the temple came down on her leg" Arthur said, gesturing to Oni's torn up leg.

The tension could easily be cut with a knife as Green stared Arthur down. Turning away from the young Jedi, he focused his attention on Oni. "Too bad we don't have a medic on board today," Green said, "I'll try and patch you up, general."

Slightly raising a brow at the exchange between the two men, Kao gave a slow nod, "My thanks, commander."

"So what should I do master?" asked Arthur, who was still trying to make up for his past behavior toward Master Kao.

"I was thinking you could help the Younglings construct their lightsabers," Oni looked expectantly towards Arthur, hoping he would like the idea. Just in case, she added: "But, of course, if you don't want to, as soon as I'm patched up, I'll take over." Green looked at her and seemed to be ready to object, but Oni stopped him with a serious, stern glare.

"Yes master, I can do that. I have to construct mine once again anyway, so I shall assist the Younglings with theirs as well." Arthur was a little shocked that his master added that last part about giving him a choice, usually it was do _what _she said and _when _she said it.

Arthur bowed to his master, and started to go find the Younglings on the ship so he could teach them how to build a lightsaber, since this is his second time doing so. He still hoped that someday he would get his chance to reclaim his original from Grievous next time they meet.

**Resist: Well, that's all for chapter 4 ladies and gents.**

**Echo: Thanks again for reading our chapter! **

**Resist: Don't forget to use the force and send us some reviews. **

_**(Arthur lifts his hands up trying to use the force)**_

**Resist: Not you Arthur.**

**Echo: Remember what Oni told you about using the Force! **

**Arthur: Ah yes, well I'm not the one's that gave me false hope when Mia showed up**

**Resist: Whatever loverboy.**

**Echo: (stops laughing) Well thank you folks for stopping by! Don't forget to check in often to see when Chapter 5 is up and running!**

**Resist: Just a warning to readers. Before going to Chapter 5, please read Echo and I's short story, The Bond Between Master and Padawan, on my profile. It takes place between these chapters.**


	5. Apprehend Part I

**Oni: Well that was certainly an interesting trip. It reminded me of when I went to receive my first crystal. **

**Resist: You almost turned into a popsicle?**

**Oni: Like I said...it was interesting. **

**Arthur: It was pretty interesting (daydreaming about Mia).**

**Resist: Whatever you say loverboy. **

**Echo: (laughing) Alright well, you folks know the drill. We don't own Star Wars or its characters (Resist starts crying) Yeah, I know (sniffles). **

**Resist: Due to the fact that Arthur and Oni go from major tension to a not quite well oiled machine, Echo and I decided to go back and do a filler story that takes place between this chapter and the last, so if you haven't read that, I suggest you do before reading this.**

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Apprehend

"_It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped."_

**Narrator POV**

Arthur had returned back from his first major battle with his master several weeks ago, but still couldn't get his mind off the trip to Illum and Mia, even though what he saw was just an illusion. Arthur had finally finished constructing his blue lightsaber again, after working on it non-stop, and had decided to drift off to sleep from exhaustion, and began to dream…

_**(Dream - Arthur POV)**_

_I was staring down at my hand and realized that I was holding my blue kyber crystal, and as I looked up from my hand and viewed my surroundings, realized that I was in the frozen temple on Illum. _

"_Arthur!" I heard my name echo through the temple, till it faded away. I started to glance around the temple and found a female figure that I immediately realized was Mia and began to approach her slowly._

"_Follow me!" she said as she turned and began running away. _

_I quickly turned my slow approach into a sprint to try and keep up with her. We took several twists and turns, and I finally managed to catch up to her. She had stopped at the far end of the room we were in and with her finger, motioned me to come near her._

"_Mia I want to talk to you, and tell you so many things" I said as I inched closer to her, wanting to give us a chance at having a conversation before I reached her._

"_Wait, Arthur," she said and held up her palm, "You must go through there first." I looked over to see her pointing at a small doorway. Only darkness and a foggy haze came from its depths. _

_I came to the foot of the doorway, but did not go through it like Mia said. Instead I stopped, "What is it?" I asked, the doorway didn't look too inviting._

"_Only what you take with you." her voice echoed. I decided to trust in what Mia wanted me to do, so I went through the doorway. As I stepped through the doorway, I could feel all kinds of emotions and I also felt as if my soul was being examined, like how I felt when Mia's electric blue eyes stared deeply into mine._

"_What was that?" I asked her, still feeling the after affects the doorway had on myself, but as I searched the room for her, I couldn't see her anywhere. I was looking around the room for her, until I heard a lightsaber activate behind me, and the sound of that dreaded cough. I turned around to see Grievous standing before me with my old blade in his hands._

"_We meet again, Youngling," he said, "If you surrender now, I will make your death quick and painless." _

"_I will take my chances Grievous" I said then charged at him, ready to retrieve my old lightsaber from him. I couldn't deal with all the pain and suffering he might have caused with my blade. I lost count how many times we've locked blades so far, but I wasn't giving up._

_Grievous merely laughed and held up my former blade to block my attack. "You won't win this time, child," he said with pride. _

"_We will see about that." I said, remembering what Master Kao had taught me so far. She has been helping me at honing my skills with a lightsaber and on how to shield my mind so that I don't easily accept the dark side when in battle. As we fought, I began executing moves that Master Kao had been helping me practice and began to gain the upper hand. Grievous came at me with my old lightsaber, but I blocked his attack and began my own quick strikes and each one landed, forcing Grievous to the ground._

"_How could you call yourself a Jedi?" Grievous asked as he grunted. _

_I felt myself lose control and began to hack and chop at Grievous anyway I could think of, not letting up at all. Between my blows, I could hear Grievous grunting and shouting in pain, as I kept striking him with my lightsaber. I was well into giving Grievous my punishment, till I heard Mia's voice echo in my head._

"_Arthur," she spoke softly, "You must stop this." _

_Her voice was calm and soothing, I immediately came to, and realized what I was doing. I immediately stopped and stepped back, while deactivating my lightsaber, focusing on Mia's voice in my head. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain course through my body, originating near my chest, so I looked down to see that Grievous had run my old lightsaber through me, and everything started becoming black._

"_Like I said, youngling," the cyborg cackled, "You're no challenge for me. Perhaps Kao should dump you back into the hole you came from. It would save her the pain." I couldn't even respond or do anything about what he said, as I fell to the ground, and blackness overtook my vision._

"_It's time to get up, Arthur." _

_My eyes immediately shot open, and I quickly shot up into a sitting position. Mia was kneeling down next to me, as I looked at her straight in the eyes._

"_What the heck just happened?" I asked as I put my hand on my forehead, just now feeling my headache. _

"_You passed your trial," she said with a smile. _

"_My what?" I said, slightly raising my voice in surprise, as my eyes widened._

"_You fought your demons," Mia said before her smile fell, "But you still have a great many obstacles to overcome. I wish I could be there to guide you." _

"_You were, I heard you in my head" I said, slightly confused and raising a brow at what she had just said, "You helped me gain control over my feelings."_

"_I know," her head tilted as she spoke empathetically, "But we must part now. From now on, your journey is your own. Goodbye, Arthur." _

_Mia stood and turned and started to walk away. "Mia wait" I quickly stood and ran to catch up to her and stuck out my hand and placed on her shoulder, but when I did, Mia's figure shattered like glass, sending me backwards back through the doorway, where I faced Grievous. After going through the doorway, I entered a freefalling state. I felt like I was falling forever, until my back hit the ground hard and I slowly sat up realizing I was in the tunnel where I almost froze to death. I sat there for what seemed like hours, and was shivering uncontrollably. I heard a soft voice echoing my name over and over, as my eyes finally started to shut._

"Arthur! Wake up, please!"

I suddenly awoke and shot straight up. I was covered in sweat and my hands and feet were still shaking from my nightmare. My vision was a little blurry, but I could make out what looked like my master. She shook me a few times, a little rough but I guess she was in a hurry.

"Master?" I asked.

"Arthur! You had me worried," she sighed, "I've been calling you for hours. Don't you remember that we have a mission today?"

"Sorry master, I dozed off and had a nightmare. What's the mission?" I asked. I'm pretty sure she told me before, but I couldn't remember, probably because of the dream, or nightmare more like it.

"Well," she started, "We'll have to head over to the hangar to find out the details. Commander Green is waiting for us."

I stood up, but lost my balance and started to fall, but Master Kao caught me. "Sorry master," I started to say, as I regained my balance, "After you" I finished, and began to follow her to the hanger.

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked with concern, "You look pretty pale. I'm sure if you're not feeling well enough, we could always have another Master take over the mission."

"No, no. It's fine, just had a bad dream is all. It just felt so….real" I said, remembering everything about my dream. "I sure I can handle the mission." I said, taking my hand off my forehead.

"Okay," Kao went back to her calm appearance, "We should get over to the hangar then."

Master Kao and I entered the hangar and started to scan the room for Green. Master Kao pointed out in the distance, so I looked at where she was pointing to see Green waving his hands at us trying to get our attention. Master Kao waved back and we made our way to Green.

"Well, what's our mission, commander?" Master Kao looked over at the clone in green armor and nodded to him. "Well, uh," he stuttered in a nervous fashion, "We've been tasked with the capture of Count Dooku."

Master Kao's eyes never betrayed her stoic face. If she was scared, she couldn't show it. Green continued to go on with all the information he had on our next mission, but I didn't catch any of it, because my mind went back to Mia and the dream. Although she was just an illusion at the temple and shattered to pieces in my dream, it made me think of the real Mia and how much I wanted to see and talk to her about how things were going.

"Arthur."

I looked up to see both Master Kao and Commander Green looking at me. My master gave me a scolding glare and gestured towards Green, who didn't really seem affected by my spacing out.

_Sorry master, it won't happen again, _I told her through the force, before turning my gaze back to Green. When I focused on what Green was saying, he was going over our plan to capture Dooku, so I made sure to listen to every detail…

"Doesn't sound like a hard mission to me," Green said with sarcasm. "We'll be in and out, right kid?" I guess he was trying to reduce the pressure of the job.

"Yeah, droids won't even notice that Dooku is missing" I said with as much sarcasm as I could muster. Green smiled and looked at me, "I can't wait to see Big Grumpy's face when we take him back to Corascaunt."

"Well shall we get this show on the road?" I asked. I made my way beside Green and nudged his shoulder, "In and out" I said sarcastically, as we made our way to our cruiser.

"So how do we know where we are going?" asked Arthur, curious as to how they already knew where Dooku was going to be, and where they needed to be in order to execute their plan.

"Clone intelligence," Green said over his shoulder, "We caught a transmission between Grievous and Big Grumpy and found out where he's headed next."

"I mention how much I hate Grievous?" I asked. I hated him even more now since the dream, because he killed me, but I tried my best to keep my cool. We entered the cruiser and got all the necessary preflight checking down and took off and entered in our coordinates in order to go into hyperspace. I looked out the windows at the front of the bridge and awed at the view of going into hyperspace.

"I couldn't agree with you more, kid," Green sighed, "I lost a lot of good men to that creep."

"He has my first lightsaber. I don't want to think about all the harm he could do with my blade, and it's my fault for giving it to him." I said focusing my gaze at the floor in shame.

Green put a hand on my shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze. "It's not your fault," he said, "You can't think like that in times like this. The blood he spills is on him, not you."

"I guess so" I reply back. I know he's right, but a small part of me still feels like it's my fault.

We started to come out of hyperspace and Master Kao and I went to our shuttle that we are going to use to sneak aboard the separatist ship, while the clones engage the droids as a distraction.

"_Good luck guys," _the commander said over the comm. as we started up the shuttle.

**Narrator POV**

"Master, I'm not going to lie. I'm afraid" Arthur told her, as they approached the shuttle. Arthur looked down at his feet in embarrassment after admitting this to her. Master Kao was always calm and focused, and if she ever was scared, which Arthur doubted, she was good at hiding it.

"I know how you feel, Arthur," she said, "I also have my doubts about this mission." She turned to look and Arthur and gave a small smile, "Don't worry; we have Green watching our back."

"I know, but this is Dooku were talking about. I already have trouble with not allowing myself to fall to the dark side of the force, but Dooku is a master, and I don't want to think about what he could do to me." Arthur still kept his face nailed to the floor and his feet. He didn't want to make eye contact after admitting this to his master.

"I have faced him before," Oni said, "He is not what you think. Remember, young one, he was once a Jedi. To date, I have never heard of him killing one of us. It's not in his character." There was a flash of pain that crossed the woman's eyes, making her golden, piercing gaze dull slightly. Her jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed. _Dooku is still a monster. _

"Master, are you ok?" Arthur asked with concern. _I have never seen her bright golden eyes dull before in my time with Master Kao._

"Now is not the time to discuss the past," she replied with a sigh, "But perhaps after this mission I might be willing to share it."

"I understand my master," the young man replied, knowing how troubling pasts can be for people, "I too wish to forget my past as well, but I cannot, it's too personal and horrifying" He finished, switching his gaze to look out the viewport, trying his best not to think of his parents.

Master Kao merely looked at her Padawan before turning back to the view of hyperspace. _No one should have to endure that pain. _"We'll be exiting hyperspace in thirty minutes."

**Narrator POV**

Oni's eyes opened slowly as the alarm signaled their arrival. She got up from her meditative position on the floor of the cockpit and climbed into the pilot's chair. "_Arthur_," she spoke into her comm., "_We're jumping out of hyperspace. You'd better hurry because we only have a sixty second window to sneak onto Dooku's ship." _

"_I'm ready master" _came Arthur's voice over the comm system back to his master. Seconds later, Arthur appeared in the cockpit and sat next to his master, ready for their mission to capture Dooku, while the clones supplied a distraction by attacking the droids.

The streaks of hyperspace disappeared and the two Jedi came face to face with the battle. Republic and Separatist ships were hammering one another in a fierce campaign. Oni's eyes searched the ships for their target.

"There," she said, pointing to the marked flagship, "That's Dooku's ship."

"I got a bad feeling about this" said Arthur, as he couldn't help but think of how Dooku could get inside his head and bring out the dark side that was still swirling around inside.

"Hang on," Master Kao said just before she began to weave the ship through the tight knots of fighters. They swerved from left to right, always keeping the flagship dead center of the viewport. As they came closer to the ship, they noticed the blue hue of a shield. "Their shields are still up," Oni said calmly.

Switching on the shuttle's defense systems, the Jedi Master marked the external shield generators outside the hangar bay and fired. Three shots burst from the forward canons and demolished the generators. Seconds later, the blue fizzled out and the shuttle sped up to land in the hangar.

"This is where the fun begins" said Arthur with a heavy breath, as their ship docked onto Dooku's flagship. Once their ship was docked, Arthur stood up from his seat and double tapped his lightsaber hilt in his kama for good luck.

Oni looked out the viewport and gave a slight snort. "We'll have to make our way through that first." She pointed out at the massive number of battle droids surrounding their ship.

"Shouldn't be much of a problem" said Arthur with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He followed his master out of the cockpit to face the droids. The two walked in audio silence, but sent thoughts of good luck to one another.

As they walked down the ramp of the ship, they paused to look at the horde of battle droids.

Oni looked to her Padawan just as the first shot rang.

**Arthur: What was that! Leaving me and my master out to dry like that**

**Echo: (shrugs) Sorry, but we wanted to create suspense… **

**Resist: Yeah Arthur, keeps people interested in reading about you, darned if I know why**

**Green: Ouch, he's going to need some **_**ice**_** for that burn!**

**Oni: Too soon, Green, too soon. **

**Resist: Ohh, I see what you did there, (busts out laughing, and high fives Green)**

**Arthur: Jeez guys. Enough of this. Don't forget to drop some reviews.**


	6. Apprehend Part II

**Arthur: So what happens to us?**

**Resist: That's classified Arthur.**

**Echo: You kinda have to keep reading to find out XD. **

**Resist: (whispering to Echo) I think Arthur hates reading.**

**Echo: (whispers back) Maybe Oni or Green could read it for him? Speaking of reading, we hope you all enjoy this chapter. Please remember that we do not own Star Wars or its characters. Leave a review and keep stopping by! **

**Resist: We also don't own the awesome quotes we come up with.**

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Apprehend Part II

**Narrator POV**

The shot flew past the young Padawan as his master grabbed his shoulder and hoisted him away. "Arthur," Oni spoke over her shoulder as she ignited her green lightsabers, "Stick close to me."

Arthur quickly activated his blade and put his back against his masters, so they were both watching and protecting each other from the battle droids' shots that were coming from all directions. They acted as one, deflecting shot after shot back at their opponents who began to dwindle down in number.

"Told you this wouldn't be a problem," said Arthur, as he gained momentum during the skirmish, as he and his master began to take the upper hand against the droids.

"Indeed," Oni said calmly, "We still have the rest of the battle to win." She gracefully twirled her twin blades to defeat the mechanical drones.

"Alright then," Arthur said, as he watched as Master Kao spun gracefully with her two blades and started to wipe out what was left of the welcoming committee. Arthur, wanting part of the action, ran into the fray and held his own against several droids. He disabled their weapons first before striking the killing blows, a tip given to him by Skywalker.

Once they had finished the last of the droids, Oni turned to Arthur and gave an encouraging nod. However, she raised a brow and looked past him. "You missed one."

Arthur twirled his lightsaber around and struck the droid that was behind him. "Better?" he asked with sarcasm and embarrassment present in his voice. "Just seeing if you were paying attention" Arthur added, trying to hide his embarrassment from his master.

"Okay," Oni said with a smile and shook her head. The woman spun around and began jogging towards the nearest lift. "Keep up, young one!"

"Right behind you" replied Arthur as he deactivated his lightsaber and ran to catch up with his master. They entered the lift and the doors closed, sealing them off from the outside. "You know they probably know we are on this lift" said Arthur to his master.

"Of course they do," she said in a neutral tone, "That's why I've been counting down in my head."

"So when do we jump out?" asked Arthur, realising what his master was planning.

"Three seconds left," Oni said as the lift panel beeped and they started coming to a stop.

Arthur pulled his lightsaber hilt out of his kama and became ready for his master's plan. "Ready when you are" said Arthur, ready to follow his master anywhere and anytime.

"There are six of them," Oni said calmly, "Two destroyers and four super battle droids." She gave a slight smirk as the doors slid open with the usual chirp. Her lightsabers flew to her hands as the droids peered in. Immediately, the blue shields of the droidekas activated and the spherical droids began firing.

Both Jedi deflected the shots, easily taking out the super droids. "Arthur," Oni called out, "I can handle the destroyers for a little bit. Jump behind them and get past their shields."

Arthur, still deflecting shots, looked up to the top of the lift, Arthur decided on a plan of action. Using the force, Arthur opened the hatch at the top of the lift and jumped through it. Now on the outside of the lift, found a vent system to which he made his way inside and crawled till he was sure he was behind the droids. Arthur found the panel that would allow him to reenter the room the droids and his master was in, and quickly undid the panel and dropped down.

Arthur ignited his lightsaber and then quietly snuck up on one of the two droidekas and deactivated his lightsaber, so that his hilt could pierce their blue energy shields, and with a quick press of the button, ignited his blade and destroyed the first one. The second droideka turned its attention to Arthur, allowing Master Kao to deactivate one of her two blades and copy what Arthur did to the first one.

With precision, Oni snuck through the shield and sliced off the droid's head. When the ruins fell to the ground, the Jedi Master gestured with her head for them to continue back onto the lift. "We still have a few more floors to Dooku."

"Yes master" replied Arthur as he followed his master back to the lift, deactivating his lightsaber, and prepared for the worst. Cutting down droids was one thing, but a Sith was a different story, especially since that Sith was Count Dooku. Arthur's nerves began to take control of him. Arthur nervously tapped his pocket where his lightsaber was.

"Now is not the time to be nervous, Arthur."

"Sorry master, I know you asked me if I was ready and I was, but now that I know it's Dooku, I'm not so sure now" replied Arthur. They were in the lift and Arthur felt that this would be the only time to confess this to his master before they got in too deep.

"Spit it out," Oni commanded in a hushed yet firm tone, "You're going to end up telling me about it sooner or later. Right now, sooner is your best option." The lift beeped and the two looked up to see that they had ten floors to go.

"My dream," Arthur began a little hesitant, "Since Illum, I have been thinking about a person in my past, one that was always by my side. She appeared in my dream and in my dream I underwent a trial where I had to face Grievous, but I lost control, and she helped me gain it back, but Grievous killed me, then I was back in the tunnel where I almost froze to death" Arthur finished with a weak voice.

Kao looked around the lift for a moment and sighed inwardly. Her eyes traveled to see that there was three floors left to go and that the moment was upon them. She could feel Dooku's dark and ominous presence more than ever, and it began to hit her hard. Hearing her apprentice's words brought back the memories of those dark times with that same ominous figure that almost killed her...that took something important away from her.

Arthur followed his master's gaze and noticed that the moment was upon them. He grabbed his lightsaber hilt and ignited his blade. "Master, thanks for listening about my dream. I needed to tell someone, so that I can focus better," Arthur then took a deep breath and got ready for the inevitable.

Oni nodded to this slightly, though not saying a word. She did not touch her lightsabers, rather she was mentally preparing herself for facing the demon once again.

The metal doors began to creak the second the lift slowed to a stop. A beep erupted from the speakers as light peered into the small space.

The lift's doors open, revealing droids with their blasters pointed at Arthur and Oni. Arthur immediately puts up his blade and starts deflecting incoming blaster fire. Arthur slowly starts to creep forward still blocking shots. Arthur gets into close range and starts destroying their weapons.

Oni merely looked forward, a knowing and terrified look behind her blazing eyes. She did not break contact with whatever was behind the mob of droids. The Jedi Master kept a steady breath as if the droids weren't even there.

Arthur finishes up the droids, and turns back to look at his master. "Master?" came Arthur's concerned voice.

"Dooku," she breathed out in a small whisper, still not breaking eye contact. Kao began to elegantly walk over the broken drones towards the ominous figure. Even then, her hands refused to grasp onto her blades.

Arthur notices his master's glare and follows it across the room to an ominous figure in the distance. The dark figure in the distance starts to walk closer, causing Arthur to raise his blade in defense. As the figure continued to walk toward the two heroes, he ignited his red lightsaber.

"Arthur," Oni turned to him, "I will handle this."

"No master, we'll take him together" Arthur pleaded. He knew Dooku was too much for any one Jedi to take on. He didn't want to watch his master fight Dooku alone.

"Master Kao," came Dooku's voice, "it has been a while, tell me who is the new padawan?" he said.

Kao looked to Arthur and gave him a nod that was neither encouraging nor appreciative. But it held something that Arthur couldn't read. Turning back to the count, Oni tilted her head. "I wouldn't give up teaching the next generation," she said, "You of all people should know Master Yoda's emphasis on training."

"That is truly interesting, my dear. Will he end up like your last padawan?" asked Dooku with a smirk on his face. Dooku quickened his pace slightly closing the gap between him and the two Jedi before him.

Arthur felt his anger boiling inside him. He was trying to hold it down, but couldn't any longer and decided to charge at Dooku without his master knowing. Arthur started to run toward Dooku and heard his master scream his name, but it was too late. Arthur started locking blades with Dooku. Dooku was too powerful for Arthur and knocked him down, then turned his gaze toward Kao with his blade pointed at Arthur.

"Tell me, how long has he been your padawan? He obviously has much to learn, and I sense a strong connection to the dark side within him" came the deep voice of Dooku.

"No, you sense the darkness inside of you feeding off of his conflict," Oni sent back, reaching for her blades. "You already took a student from me." The green glow reflected off the steel floors. Two blazing gold eyes pierced into Dooku's figure. "I won't let that happen again."

Dooku turned his gaze from Kao to the padawan on the floor, gazing deep into his green eyes before speaking to him. "Tell me boy, where did they find you?"

"Arthur," Oni said, "He's trying to manipulate you; don't fall for it."

"I'm not answering your questions," came Arthur's voice, as he spat at Dooku's shoes.

"Is that so boy" said Dooku with a smirk. Dooku then moved his lightsaber that was pointed at Arthur's face to his knee then inserted his lightsaber, causing a scream to come from Arthur from the pain.

Oni flinched from the Force signature, obviously having felt this pain before. "Leave the child alone and face me," she growled, her eyes now on fire.

"Where is the fun in that?" asked Dooku,stretching out his hand, he sent lightning down that struck Arthur, who screamed in response.

"Master!" screamed Arthur. He could take pain, but this was excruciating for him.

Oni was trying to keep her emotions in check, as she always did. But now, with the fear of losing a second student, she couldn't help but let them flow from her. With a great war cry, she leapt towards Dooku, both of her blades ready to defend against the great Soresu master.

**Resist: Well there is the next chapter guys and gals.**

**Arthur: First you make me daydream about Mia, now I'm bleeding on the ground!**

**Echo: Well, technically, you're not bleeding. The heat from the lightsaber cauterizes the wound immediately. **

**Arthur: Whatever. **

**Green: I guess I'm missing all the fun… **

**Resist: I don't know about that. Your blasting droids to bits, but you can kick butt next chapter.**

**Green: Deal! **

**Resist: Well peeps, don't forget to stop, drop, and roll in some reviews for Echo and I. Peace out till next time. **


	7. Apprehend Part III

**Resist: Well folks, here is Chapter 7. I would also like to thank everyone for reviewing, it means a lot.**

**Echo: Pretty much what Resist said, but again, thank you so much. We hope you all enjoy this chapter! Who would like to give the disclaimer? **

**Resist: Why not Green?**

**Echo: Yeah, I think he should **

**Green: _(sighs)_ Fine, but I have things to do! **_**(rolls eyes and pulls out a scroll)**_** Resist and Echo do not own Star Wars or its characters. The end. **

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Apprehend Part III

**Narrator POV**

Arthur watched from the ground as the two masters duelled in front of him. Arthur felt a sense of uselessness as he watched his master fight for her life against Dooku. Arthur found the strength inside him to stand and summoned his lightsaber to his hand with the force.

"Your padawan is ready for round 2," smirked Dooku to Oni, while their blades were locked together, as he took a glance at Arthur.

Oni kept her anger-filled glare on Dooku, not wanting to dare look her padawan in the eyes. _Stay back, Arthur. _

_Not an option master, _answered Arthur as he ignited his blue blade and went to aid his master. Dooku used the force and pushed back Oni, and then turned his attention to Arthur. Arthur and Dooku fought ferociously and locked blades every now and then.

"I sense your feelings of fear and anger boy" said Dooku as he and Arthur locked blades again.

"You sense nothing" said Arthur, trying his best to block out Dooku from his mind.

As the two continued to fight, Dooku began reading Arthur's facial expressions as they fought. "It was your parents you lost wasn't it?" asked Dooku in a knowing voice. Arthur couldn't help but think of his parents and it was plain as day on his face.

Kao tried to keep up with the two, but she could see that this fight was between Dooku and Arthur. The Jedi Master could feel the hate radiating from her Padawan, and feared he would lash out.

_Arthur, breath. Dooku is only trying to provoke you. You must control your feelings! _

"Tell me boy, how old were you?" asked Dooku rhetorically, "Seven?" he asked.

Arthur was doing his best to focus on his master's voice, while he fought with Dooku, but he was stumbling.

"None of your business" said Arthur, who distanced himself from Dooku, giving his master a chance to jump in the fight, as Arthur was getting tired.

Oni stood back in case she would be in danger of Arthur's wrath. _That's it, young one. Control! _

Dooku, almost immediately, started to close the gap between him and Arthur trying to push his advantage over the boy.

"How long do you think you can last boy?" said Dooku trying to get the boy to slip into the dark side. "I can feel your anger and hatred," smirked Dooku, "Join the dark side, Arthur. You have much hate inside you"

"Never!" yelled Arthur as he tried to go on the offensive, but Dooku expected this and sidestepped his attacks and made contact with Arthur's back as Arthur's momentum carried him forward. Arthur then fell to the ground again.

Oni's golden eyes narrowed in determination. She ignited her lightsabers and began jogging towards Dooku, who seemed calm about the whole ordeal. Just before her blades rose to swipe at the count, the ship shook violently and made all three lose their balance.

"_General!" _Green's voice came through Kao's comm., _"Our distraction has failed. Have you found Dooku yet?" _

_Master, I think it's time to go, _grunted Arthur to his master in pain, as he moved to stand back up after taking a swipe in the back from Dooku, not to mention his knee as well. After getting up, Arthur immediately looked around for Dooku, but saw him making his way toward the middle of the room, in which a meditation rug sat. From stories back at the Temple, the young Jedi knew that this rug was also a secret escape route.

Arthur started to go after him, but Dooku sensed him and turned around and shot lightning off his finger tips at Arthur, who blocked it with his lightsaber, but it gave Dooku enough time to make his escape.

Using the Force to lift the rug, the Sith Lord ceased the bolts and hopped down the chute. Oni snorted at this and began running towards the hatch. "Arthur," she stopped just above the hole, "Stay here unless either Green or myself inform you otherwise." With that, the Master backflipped into the tunnel after Dooku. Before Arthur could object to this, his master was gone.

Arthur stood there for what seemed like hours, but he actually only stood there for about a couple seconds, but felt that he should go after his master, so he deactivated his blade and jumped down the hatch to catch up with his master, with his hilt still in his hand.

Arthur came to the end of the hatch and dropped down into a hangar bay, but what he saw shocked him. There was nobody present, not even Oni. He searched the hangar in a panic looking to find his master, but came up empty. He was about to call Green, but something shinned out in the distance from where he stood. He went over to it, but as he drew closer a frown formed on his face, as he found one of his master's lightsabers.

"Green!," came the frantic voice of Arthur over the comm system.

"_What is it, kid? You and Oni better hurry up. I don't know how much longer my boys and I can hold of the Seppies." _

"Kao is gone. She ordered me to stay back, but when I caught up to where she was suppose to be with Dooku, she wasn't there." came back Arthur. Arthur was worried on the inside. He was without family since he was nine, but somehow that void was filled when he became Master Kao's padawan, but now she was missing and he felt alone and abandoned again.

"_What?! Agh! Where are you? Can you steal a ship and get off that ship? We'll try and trace her comm." _

"On my way," with that, Arthur strapped his master's lightsaber to his kama, along with putting his back into the other holster on his kama, and stole a ship from the separatist command ship and headed back toward his master's Jedi Cruiser. After landing, he made his way to the bridge to meet Green.

"What have you got?" replied Arthur has he entered the bridge, not wasting any time on finding his master.

Green turned from the holotable with his helmet off, which clearly showed his stress. "I don't know, kid," he sighed and took in a heavy breath, "We can't find her anywhere. Wherever Big Grumpy took her, he was smart enough to disable her comm. link."

"We have to keep looking! She's out there somewhere and alive, I can feel it," replied Arthur, stressed and anger was clearly visible on his face as he spoke to Green.

Green slammed his palm onto the edge of the holotable. "I want to see her back just as much as you, Arthur, but it's not that easy."

"Then what is our next logical move then?" asked Arthur, trying to calm Green down, as well as himself, "Talk to Master Yoda?" suggested Arthur to Green. The man looked at the Padawan with hardly any hope in his amber gaze. "There's nothing we can do, kid," he said.

**One Week Later**

Arthur and Green were still pulling out all the stops to search for their missing comrade and friend, but still had nothing to go off of.

"We have to find her," said a nervous Arthur, "I don't want to get shipped off to a third master. Two is enough," said Arthur to Green, who was right beside the kid, going over holomaps and anything else they had at their disposal to find something.

"Like I said before," the clone commander pinched the bridge of his nose, "I want her back as much as you do if not more. But we cannot do much in this situation. You should let the Jedi Council take care of this, Arthur. I'm sure they have more contacts than we do."

Arthur stood up from his seat next to Green and made his way to contact Master Yoda and the Jedi Council. He wasn't looking forward to this meeting, although he suspected that the Jedi Council already knew that Master Kao was taken prisoner, and now on some random planet in the galaxy. Arthur made his way to the command room and contacted Coruscant.

"Arthur," Jedi Master Mace Windu greeted with a polite nod, "How has your search been going?"

"Same as last week master. Commander Green and I have been searching through all we can get our hands on, but we are still coming up empty," replied Arthur with a heavy heart.

"I could arrange for you to speak with Yoda," the master said, "After all, Oni was his Padawan. He wants her back just as much as any of us." Windu looked at Arthur with concern, obviously sensing the lack of patience and calm.

"I appreciate the offer Master Windu," replied Arthur bowing slightly.

"Very well," Windu said with a dip of his head, "Return to Coruscant with Commander Green. Master Yoda will be available by the time you arrive." He paused to give the young one a slight smile, which was very rare to find from the High Councilman. "Have patience, padawan. We will find your master. May the Force be with you."

"Thanks Master Windu," with that Arthur ended the transmission and went to give Green the news that they had to leave and head to Coruscant.

Arthur made his way through the ship and found Green talking to a couple pilots in the hangar. As he approached the man, he said with hope, "Green we have to head to Coruscant and meet with Master Yoda. He is going to help us with our search."

Green gestured for his men to leave and turned to Arthur. His helmet was on, preventing the Jedi from seeing his expression. "I hope that old Jedi can give us some good intel. The fact that Dooku hasn't placed a ransom or sent anything is quite strange. You better pray that it's not too late." The clone folded his arms across his chest and heaved a sigh in frustration. "I'll go speak with the captain and get us under way."

Arthur cringed at Green's words about how Oni may not be alive, because of no ransom demands, but he fought to keep his mind clear and focus on the hope that Master Kao was still alive. He wanted her back right now because she filled a hole in his life that was dug when he lost his parents to gang violence. Arthur decided to get some time alone before they reached the Jedi Temple, so he went to his quarters.

**(Jedi Temple)**

Arthur and Green made their way off of their Jedi cruiser, the _Benevolence_, and started toward the hangar where they were suppose to meet Master Windu, who would take them to Master Yoda.

Once the two were walking through the hangar, they spotted the Jedi by a gunship. There was also another person standing close by with a helmet on, concealing their identity. "Ah, Padawan Perry," Windu said with a nod and smile. He looked down to Yoda by his side. "Master Yoda was able to pull some contacts and found someone with the abilities to help you."

The dark skinned Jedi Master then waved a hand towards the feminine looking figure.

"Who's the guest?" asked Arthur fixing his gaze on the figure concealing their identity, the curiosity in his voice wasn't very hard to miss. "A bounty hunter?" Green inquired with a cautioned tone. Both looked to Yoda for an answer.

"Answer to our problem this person is," replied Master Yoda, shifting his position slightly to balance himself on his cane. "Well, who is she?" the commander asked with impatience.

The woman remained silent as she faced the group. Slowly, she removed her helmet. Once it was off, her eyes pierced into Arthur's. "Hello again."

"Mia!?" replied Arthur, louder then he wanted to. He kept his gaze on her electric blue eyes and began to look her over, scanning her new get up. Mia merely smirked and removed her gaze from the boy for a moment. "I guess you haven't forgotten," she snickered.

"Forgotten what?," replied Arthur with a smirk of his own, but looked quickly away from Mia, putting his head down, feeling himself start to blush. Arthur always had trouble hiding his true feelings from Mia, but now that he was in her presence after such a long time, it made it even harder for him to conceal his feelings that he had toward her.

"Me," she said with a snark, "Perhaps they haven't brainwashed you after all." Her bright blue eyes held something hidden, but she concealed it well. The young woman stood tall and with pride as she always had. If she had noticed his blush, she said nothing about it.

Windu raised a brow to the two before stepping forward. "Anyways," he said whilst glaring at both, "We need to debrief you both on the current plan."

"Yes master" replied Arthur bowing his head to Windu. The group moved from the hangar they were all standing at to the communications room, where they would begin a proper briefing for Arthur, Green, and Mia.

As they all entered the communications room, the lights went dark and the holographic projector came on, displaying a picture of Master Kao.

"Brief you we must," came the raspy voice of Master Yoda, "abducted Master Kao was by Dooku, know this however already you do" said Yoda who still wasn't done talking yet, "Knew we were coming already Dooku did, believe a traitor among us there is." finished Yoda.

"So you want us to find this traitor so he can tell us where Count Dooku has Master Kao?" questioned Arthur, who received a nod from Master Yoda. Windu sighed lightly and turned to face them, "The tricky part is finding this traitor. So far, we don't have any leads. All we know is that only the Jedi Council, your Master, you, and the clones knew about it."

"What is the likelihood that the traitor is part of the Jedi Council?" asked Arthur, who never thought that he would be asking this type of question. Everyone else in the room gave Arthur a confused and shocked glance except for Master Yoda, who sighed in grief. "That remains a possibility," Windu managed to say, shaking his head slightly, "That is why we are trusting the two of you to find out since you are not on the Council."

"How do we do that?" Mia asked, resting her hands on her hips.

"Up to you the answer to that question is" replied Master Yoda with a sigh of grief at the end. "Little time do we have to find this traitor we do, sense a disturbance in the force I do."

"Your master doesn't have much time," Windu said gravely. He looked at the hologram of Kao before turning to Arthur, "Hurry now, young Padawan."

Windu and Yoda gave the three a crisp nod before leaving the communications room. Green turned to the two with a raised brow. "So, what do you have, kid?"

"We need a plan to lure out this traitor so that we can get the location of Master Kao from them," replied Arthur, who was trying to formulate a plan to get his master gave an approving nod, though he was skeptical. "And how do you suppose that we lure out this traitor?" Mia asked, leaning against the holotable, giving Arthur a smirk.

"Well, what if we planted information about where we are heading next and maybe this traitor will act on it?" asked Arthur, who was looking for approval from the other two. Mia smiled at this and snickered, "That's actually a pretty good plan. That Jedi stuff might be working." Arthur just gave her a glare.

"There's nine members of the Council that we need to tell. That means 3 for each of us. We need to come up with nine sets of coordinates, split them between us, and decided who is going to tell who," Arthur said. "I'll take Fisto, Rancisis, and Piel" suggested Arthur.

"I know Kenobi, Koon, and Ti," Green suggested. Mia looked in between them and raised a brow, "I guess I'll take whoever is left." The clone chuckled, "That would be Eeth Koth, Ki-Adi Mundi, and Adi Gallia." The woman's look did not change at all. "I have no idea who they are."

"What should we use as coordinates to set up the traitor?" asked Arthur.

"I say we pick planets that have fleets stationed nearby," the marshal commander stated firmly, "It would be easier to escape an attack in that case."

"Sounds like a plan to me" replies Arthur very cool and collected..

"So what do we tell them _exactly_?" Mia asked, looking between the two.

"We just need to tell them what the coordinates are and to also tell them not to share this information with the other Council members on Yoda's instructions in case something goes wrong." replied Arthur making eye contact with Mia once again. She smirked back, "I like this plan."

"We will just have to check in with Admiral Brooks about our plan, and we should be good" replied Arthur scratching the back of his head. "I'll contact him right away, Commander," Green said with a nod.

**Resist: Well Chapter 7 is in the books folks!**

**Echo: And might I say that it was very….what's the word….dramatic! Wouldn't you say, Arthur? **

**Arthur: Whatever, I finally got to see Mia again. It only took you guys another bagillion chapters!**

**Resist: I don't think anyone wants to read a story that has a bagillion chapters about you and your troubled love life **_**(starts to chuckle)**_**.**

**Echo: That's a bit harsh, but I agree. Sorry, Arthur, but I'm sure most people came for the action and awesome Jedi tricks. **

**Arthur: Yeah yeah, don't forget to leave your reviews ladies and gents for The Joker and Harley Quinn!**

**Echo: Speaking of DC, I'll be posting a new fanfic about The Batman series. So if you really love the Caped Crusader, please check in and give it a look. And, what's even better is that Resist will be posting a Young Justice fanfic! Please make sure that you stop and give it a ton of reviews. Go ahead and drown him in reviews. _(falls out of chair laughing) _**

**Resist: Thanks, but I don't know if it will be better. I'm still not sure when I'll be posting, still working on the first chapter.**

**Arthur: Wow! You two are unbelievable! Anyway review and may the force be with you more than these two _(points to Resist and Echo)_**


	8. The Rescue Part I

**Arthur: Well all you lucky people, here is the next chapter in Echo and Resist's incredible story**

**Echo: Thanks, Arthur. Now let's see who betrayed Kao and got her in this situation! **

**Resist: First things first. Echo and I don't own Star Wars or it's characters, or these awesome quotes we continue to find**

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

The Rescue

"_It is easier to forgive an enemy, than to forgive a friend"_

Mia watched as Arthur paced back and forth next to the holo table. He seemed very focused on the ground in front of him as he continued his loop. "Calm down," the young woman said with a chuckle, "Your plan will work. You just need to give it time."

"Master Kao could be gone by now, there is NO TIME!" yelled Arthur hitting the wall with his fist, then pulling it back quick due to the pain that his rash decision caused. Mia stepped closer and held out her hands so she could inspect it. "If she were gone," she started, lacking the sass and sarcasm from before, "You would be able to sense it, wouldn't you?"

Arthur walked over to the holo table and put his hands down and slightly leaned forward trying to calm himself before he lost control. "Yeah I guess so" replied Arthur, but he spoke very quietly. Mia sighed and put down her hands. She walked over and rested a hand on Arthur's right shoulder. A smile appeared on her face. "It seems like you're either angry or blushing," she narrowed her eyes at him, "Why is that?"

Arthur felt anger at first for taking so long for him to find his master, who probably would have found him by now if their roles were switched, but then there was Mia. She was trying to make him feel better, always sticking by his side and trying to comfort him through this dark time that he was in. Arthur could feel his anger beginning to leave, and another feeling starting to take over, a feeling he only got when Mia was around.

Arthur kept his face staring down at his somewhat bleeding hand, "I should probably get this looked at," replied Arthur, gesturing at his hand that he used to punch the wall. Arthur made for the door, but felt something grab his arm and hold him back.

The young woman was now frowning at him. "You're trying to change the subject," she said with irritation, "I'm going with you." Mia scoffed and waited for him to say something.

"Fine" replied Arthur, as he and Mia made their way to the med bay. Arthur remained distant from Mia on the way through the ship to the med bay because he didn't want to talk to her about his feelings toward her that he kept buried inside him.

They entered the med bay and found the medical droid, who studied Arthur's hand before grabbing some gauze and started to wrap his hand as tight as possible before leaving Arthur and Mia alone. Arthur felt the droid wrapped his hand too tight and tried to undo the wrap, but as he did so he started to struggle and tie things up.

Gently, Mia grabbed his hands in hers and began untangling the wrap. "Are you going to tell me, then?" she asked, not looking up at Arthur.

"Tell you what?" asked Arthur as calmly as he could, while slightly wincing from the bandages brushing against his exposed cuts.

"I'm no Jedi," Mia glanced up and narrowed her eyes at Arthur, "But I'm not stupid. You're not getting around it."

Arthur let out a long breath then decided to speak, "What do you want to know exactly?" he asked, hoping she didn't want to know what he thought she wanted to know.

Mia scoffed and rolled her eyes. She was done with the wrap and started walking away. "You know exactly what I'm asking, Arthur. I've been wanting to ask that question for years even though I already know the answer."

Arthur gulped and stood up to follow Mia out of the medical room "If I answered that question, and if certain people find out then my life as a Jedi is over" replied Arthur, he wanted to just say the answer they both wanted to hear, but he couldn't muster it. He fought against entire armies of droids, Grievous, and Dooku, and yet he couldn't answer one simple question that Mia already knew the answer to anyway.

The young woman nodded as she continued walking. "I understand."

Arthur started to mentally slap himself for his answer to Mia's question, he wanted to tell her so bad, but he was unsure how to make the words into a sentence that wouldn't make him sound stupid. Arthur could picture it clearly in his head, him trying to tell her how he felt and stuttering every other word.

"How many years?" Mia asked calmly.

"S-S-Since our first job together in the gang" replied Arthur trying to keep his nerves down, "I was just starting and you saved my life several times," finished Arthur as his memories flooded his mind.

"I remember," the young woman said as she began to smile, "That's around the time I started, too."

"Liar, you were too good to have started around the time I did," replied Arthur allowing a smile to grow on his face.

Mia's smile grew wider and she looked at Arthur. "I was talking about when I started feeling the same way about you."

Arthur felt like an idiot, which is what he was trying to avoid. "I grew on you that quick?" asked Arthur. It was his turn to ask all the embarrassing questions to Mia. She blushed slightly and turned away. "I guess so, but I never really thought about it as much until you left."

"I asked you to come with me, besides I turned to find you before I left and you were already gone, but I figured I'd see you again later" replied Arthur.

"We're together now," Mia said with a small chuckle, "It's a small universe we live in." She sighed and kept walking down the hall.

Arthur followed her and they entered the communications center where Arthur hit the wall with his fist. The fleet still didn't come under attack yet, and his thoughts about his Master reentered his mind, and he began his pacing again.

"The plan will work," Mia said as she gently punched Arthur's shoulder, "We _are_ going to find Master Kao.

Arthur gave a slight smile and stopped pacing and leaned up against the wall and tried to calm himself again. This was the worst part of the plan. Waiting to see which fleet got attacked. Green was at a different set of coordinates, while he and Mia were at another. "I hate this part," said Arthur, "the waiting is worse than having to fight Dooku."

"What are they like?" Mia asked. "The Sith Lords...what are they like?"

"Dooku and Grievous are both frightening. To tell the truth, I'm surprised I survived my fights with them. Dooku is worse though, I lost track of how many times he could have killed me in our fight."

"I heard talk about Dooku before. I can't believe a Jedi would turn to the Dark Side. You don't think he could turn your master, do you?"

"Kao? No way, she helped me from turning when Dooku was trying to get me to turn," Arthur said. He looked down at the floor for a couple seconds remembering the times he used the dark side during his fight with Grievous.

"I heard what he does to Jedi like her."

Arthur frowned at this, "Please don't tell me, unless you want me to pace the floor again" said Arthur with as much sarcasm as he could muster, trying to not think about such things.

Mia scoffed in amusement before a sympathetic look came about her face. "I won't go into details, but," she paused, "Dooku will rip her mind apart. Council member or not, your master is not coming out of there unscathed. Has she ever experienced his mind games before?"

"I know she lost a padawan to him before" replied Arthur. He wasn't sure how to answer Mia's question as he hasn't been Master Kao's padawan for long.

Mia sighed at this and nodded. "That's a weak point he'll use to manipulate her mind. It's sick and I've heard of what happened to the other Jedi. He'll try to find the hidden things she doesn't want people to know."

Arthur started his pacing around the holo table again with an obvious look of fear on his face, and started to let it consume him. Arthur in his mind started to count how many times he circled the table, but after a while lost track, but kept his pace going.

"If she has nothing to hide, she's fine, Arthur," Mia started to frown at his pacing, "What's wrong?"

Arthur, continuing his pacing, and put his hands on his forehead, and tears started to run down his face. "Everything" he managed to say as his tears fell. Mia immediately rushed over and stood in front of him. She placed her hands on his chest and stopped him from pacing. "Arthur, stop and tell me why everything is wrong." She looked around the communications center and thanked heaven that they were alone.

"It's all my fault, I arrived too late, and by the time I got to where she was suppose to be, she was gone" Arthur tears continued to fall, more so than before.

"This is not your fault," Mia frowned and stepped back, now slightly angry. "Dooku is the one at fault here. Besides, you have nothing to worry about. Sure, he could use the loss of her last padawan to his advantage, but as long as she isn't hiding anything, she's going to be okay. She's probably survived worse, Arthur."

Arthur's tears started to fall less and less, but his fear was still gripping at him more and more. He wasn't sure if Oni was hiding anything or not from him, since he didn't really know her all too in all his brilliance, tried to scoot around Mia and start his pacing again.

"Do you know anyone who has known her for awhile?" Mia asked, "Maybe they would know if she has something Dooku wants to know."

Arthur stopped from trying to get around Mia, and thought for a second. "Green would know probably, he's the only one that comes to mind," replied Arthur quietly, still trying to get his bearings together.

Mia nodded and gave a reassuring smile, "Where's he? Didn't he board a separate ship?"

"Yeah, he did. Maybe we should contact him?" asked Arthur. He was worried that his Master maybe hiding something from him and he wanted to find out. Mia gave him a nod and gestured towards his comm. link. "You should do it now."

Arthur nodded and made to contact Green. "Green, can you hear me?" asked Arthur into his comm.

"Yes, kid. I read you loud and clear. Have you heard anything yet? Our scopes are clear here," the marshal replied in his usual gruff voice.

"Same here Green, has Oni ever told you anything that Dooku might want to expose?" came Arthur's voice over Green's comm.

It was a few moments before Green answered. "No, why?" he asked in a hushed and rather broken voice.

"Well that's what Dooku will use to get at her when he tortures her," replied Arthur in a slightly questionable voice after hearing Green's reply. "I'm sure she'll pull through," the commander said with a lace of fear and concern hidden, "She's a strong woman, Arthur."

"You don't sound very convincing" came Arthur's voice back over the comm, has he himself started worry again on the inside after hearing Green's voice.

"Arthur, I think we should focus on the ships," Green said mildly irritated, though he was just as worried as Arthur if not more. "That's our best bet to find the traitor that put Oni in this situation. Trust me, when we find him, he's as good as dead."

With that the commander cut the chatter leaving Arthur with even more questions than answers, and he hated that. He gave a look of fear and terror over to Mia and was about to start his pacing again.

"He knows something," Mia said, starting to get worried herself. "I've never heard a clone talk like that."

Arthur walked over and put his back against the wall and slowly sunk to the floor and folded his arms over his knees and put his head down, and felt tears starting to stream down his face again. Green had left him in the dark, his Master was in trouble and Green knew something and left him on the outside looking in.

"Maybe you could use your Force powers to find out what it is?" Mia asked, trying to placate him.

Arthur could feel that Green was keeping something big from him, so he decided to take Mia's advice and started to probe out with the force. Arthur reached out and found Green and started to dig carefully around to find his answers, and what he learned shocked him greatly. Arthur immediately stood up and took a couple of steps away from Mia.

"What?" Her eyes widened and she closed the distance between her and Arthur. She rested her hands on his arms and tugged them slightly. "What did you find?"

"Green and Kao are...are...are.." Arthur couldn't finish the sentence as he was weak from using the force to find his answers. He had never done that before and it took a lot of his strength, and he started to slightly fall towards the floor.

Mia stepped over to his side and caught him just in time. Slowly, she sat him down against the wall and waited for him to catch his breath. "Arthur, you need to breath. They are what?"

Arthur did as she said and slowly came to. "They are together" replied Arthur barely above a whisper as he answered her question.

Mia didn't understand at first and frowned. "Together?" She started mumbling different meanings of the word before her eyes widened in shock. "Oh my god." The young woman looked at Arthur and stood up. "Your master is secretly….what?!"

Arthur was just as surprised as Mia and he stood up and began his pacing once again around the holo table mumbling to himself, "This is bad, this is very bad."

"What if Dooku finds out about it?" Mia asked, running her hands through her hair. "Wait! What if the traitor knows which ship he's on? Do you think Dooku would go after that one?"

Arthur could hear Mia asking him questions, but his mind was off somewhere else, his world was spinning and he was trying to make sense of everything. He didn't notice that she stepped out in front of him and he crashed into her.

"Slow down," Mia stepped back from the impact and sighed. "I think we should-"

Suddenly the ship began to shake violently and creak. "Just wonderful" replied Arthur. Mia grunted and rolled her eyes. She began pulling on Arthur's arm and dragging him towards the bridge, "C'mon! We know who did it!"

"I can run myself you know," replied Arthur, who kept staggering over his own feet, as Mia continued to pull him through the ship. "Kuth, er Koth," Mia let go of his arm and began to stutter, "Or whatever his name is! That Zabrak is the traitor! I gave him these coordinates."

"Huh, guess the plan worked after all" chuckled Arthur, who formed a smirk on his face, as he continued to sprint to the bridge with Mia. They stopped just before the viewport to stare out at the Separatist fleet. "That's a lot of cruisers," Mia said wide-eyed as she counted the ships. As of now, it was ten versus one. "How are we supposed to escape and get back to Coruscant?"

"Huh, maybe the plan didn't work after all" replied Arthur with his usual sarcastic tone. "Could always go with my first option?" asked Arthur, who received a raised eyebrow from Mia, "We could just wing it" said Arthur still in his sarcastic voice, "Didn't actually think this far ahead."

Mia just glared at Arthur for a few moments. "Really?" She rolled her eyes when Arthur shrugged his shoulders innocently. "Contact Green," the young woman said, "Maybe he could help us out by getting his butt over here. His love life is kind of on the line." Mia made sure to whisper the last sentence to Arthur, as they were now surrounded by eyes and ears.

Arthur slightly chuckled at the last part before trying to contact Green, but all he could get was static. "Comms are jammed, we are going to have to get out of here ourselves" Arthur said making eye contact with Mia. She bit her lip in thought and fought the urge to pace. As she did so, red alarms starting blinking and the ship shook violently again. Out the viewport, the Separatist cruisers were hammering them with all the firepower they could.

Clones started running about trying to save the ship, giving Mia an idea. "What if we program the ship to collide with the Separatist fleet? We could board the escape pods and set the ship to auto pilot."

Arthur nodded in agreement, wishing that he could have come up with something so genius. "Sounds good to me" Arthur made his way to the ship communications and announced to the clones to abandon ship and make for the escape pods, while Mia started to mess with the nava-computer. "Once we hit confirm, we need to make a break for the escape pods," Mia informed, "You did reserve one for us..._right_?"

"Of course I did" Arthur said as his pitch fluctuated in his voice not making him sound very confident. "Arthur!" Mia scolded and sighed, slightly punching the nava-computer, "Go get us an escape pod before they leave. I'll stay and program the computer."

"No way I'm leaving without you, just hurry up and program the computer and lets get out of here," replied Arthur as he made his way over to where Mia was programming the nava-computer.

"Arthur, we need to make sure that there is an escape pod for us to leave," Mia said irritated, "I know that you want us to stick together, but in this situation, that might get us killed."

Arthur knew she was right, but he didn't want to leave her. "I just got reunited with you, and I don't want to lose you, I probably couldn't live with myself if you don't make it, and I do."

Mia stood up and came over to Arthur. Giving him a smile, she leaned in and pecked his cheek. Standing back, she now had a weak look on her face. "Arthur, I know and I feel the same way. I need you to go to the escape pod. I'll be fine...I promise you that," she said with a crack in her voice.

Arthur stood there dumbstruck for a few seconds before running out of the bridge and went to secure them a rid off the suicidal ship. Arthur found an escape pod and climbed in and did all the necessary preparations before sitting back and waiting for Mia to enter. He knew that she made a promise to show, but even he knew that she couldn't keep that one if certain circumstances happened.

The ship shook again and began lurching forwards.

**Resist: Well we hate to be mean, but…..**_**(Joker laugh)**_**! Who am I kidding of course we do!**

**Echo: Hehe :D you guys have to wait to see what happens? You never know, maybe Mia won't come back or...or the Death Star could show up...you never know. **

**Arthur: TIME OUT! I call a foul! You can't end the chapter here. It's inhuman, illegal, cruel and like 50 other things I won't even begin to mention**

**Echo: She'll be fine! Just think about poor Green...Oni is being tortured for crying out loud! **

**Arthur: She can come back from that, if the ship explodes, bye bye Mia. Me too, now that I think about it….**

**Green: Whoa….you wanna take this outside? **

**Resist: That is harsh Arthur. You call yourself a jedi? Foreshame**

**Arthur: Sorry Green, my bad **

**Resist: Well don't forget to use the force and drop some reviews for Echo and I. Also weigh in on who would win this fight, Arthur or Green and why?**

**Echo: *whispers* I'm betting on Green…. Anyways! Thanks for reading guys! Check back for Chapter 9!**


	9. The Rescue Part II

**Resist: Here is chapter 9 everyone, please read and enjoy!**

**Oni: Yeah, we hope you all are loving this series! **

**Resist: Without further stalling, Echo and I don't own Star Wars or any of its characters**

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

The Rescue Part II

Arthur sat in the escape pod nervously twiddling his thumbs waiting for Mia to enter so he could leave. She may have sent him away, but he wasn't leaving without her if it meant that he would die as well. "Hurry up Mia" he whispered.

"Let's get this thing moving!" he heard Mia's voice as she bursted into the airlock. She sprinted up the steps and into the pod, "We have ten seconds before this thing collides with the fleet."

Since Arthur had already did all the preflight checking and programing completed, Arthur was all set to pilot the escape pod away from the ship. Arthur hit a few more buttons to start the pod's engines and then hit the last button to finalize the ejection sequence and immediately the pod ejected them away from the cruiser.

Mia gave out a sigh and looked out the viewport. "How do we get out of this situation now? Can you contact Green yet?"

"One problem at a time. Like I said, I didn't think this far ahead," came the sarcastic reply of Arthur. "Green can you hear me?" asked Arthur into his wrist comm.

"I can barely hear you, kid," Green's voice came in broken and filled with static, "What the heck happened to your ship?"

"It is becoming a scrap pile" replied Arthur, "Need a pick up. We are in escape pods" finished Arthur, who then waited for Green's reply, hoping he could still hear him.

"W-we'll be r-ight the-" Green's voice cut off and the transmission came through as pure static. Mia rolled her eyes at this and leaned back in her seat, "At least he knows we're here. I just hope that the Separatist fleet is gone by now." Looking out the viewport, she found that they couldn't see the results of their plan. Arthur gave a smile at the look she had on her face since she couldn't see the action. Arthur closed his eyes and focused on their pod, and started to rotate so that they could see the fireworks happening around them.

"Ah," Mia exclaimed in surprise as the pod began to move. When she realized that Arthur was using the Force, she sighed and sat still.

"Better?" asked Arthur with a smirk on his face that was impossible to miss, as he saw Mia's face change expressions.

"Much better," Mia said with a chuckle as she admired their handy work. It was guaranteed now that the Separatists were no longer a threat. The Republic cruiser had completely demolished the flagship it crashed into, causing a chain reaction and decimating the nearby ships.

Arthur gave a long whistle at what was happening to the now scattered fleet of Separatists. "See my plans always work" chuckled Arthur at the chaos that was happening around them. The fun continued for them, as Green's ship entered out of hyperspace and started to blast what was remaining of the Separatist armada.

"I'm liking your plans more and more," Mia said, giving Arthur a smirk. Arthur couldn't help but smile at this and her encouragement made his feelings for her grow even more, if that was possible. "Well Green should be able to pick us up after he is able to make the Separatists retreat, which shouldn't take long" Arthur said to Mia, adding sarcasm to that last part.

"Let's see if the comms are back in order," Mia said, leaning over a control panel. Finding the right switch, she tried to hail Green's ship. Sparks flew from the device and caused the young woman to spring back. "Uh, yeah, comms are still down. But I guess that gives us time to plan our next move. How are we supposed to arrest Koth? Besides him giving away the coordinates, we don't have any solid proof."

"Thought maybe we take what we know to Master Yoda, but you're right, we really don't have any solid proof that he did this. The only other thing I can come up with is we investigate his place, but I'm really fresh out of ideas" replied Arthur, not really wanting to admit that to her.

"Let's ask Green when he picks us up," Mia suggested, "Though I have a feeling he won't be very subtle. We may not want him around Koth." Arthur sighed knowing she was right, "We may have to interrogate Koth without Green present so we can get some answers, or Green may shoot first and ask questions later."

Mia scoffed at this, "There won't be someone to answer the questions if we let him have his way. He's a marshal commander, right?" asked Mia, and Arthur nodded his head in reply, "Yeah he is" replied Arthur. "Well," Mia shrugged, "He was most likely trained for interrogation, maybe his anger could give us an advantage and find out how much Koth told the Separatists."

Arthur looked at her,_ curse her genius_, he thought. "We are going to need all the help we can get, interrogating a Jedi is not going to be very easy" said Arthur. "I bet they didn't give him the title "marshal" for no reason," the young woman tried not to laugh. "Are the comms still jammed?" Arthur looked out the viewport of their pod and saw that the Separatist fleet was all but gone, so he tried to get Green on the comms. "Green can you hear me?" asked Arthur through the comms.

"Kid?" Green's voice came through, "We've been trying to contact you. Are you hitting decline again?" Arthur shook his head and replied light heartedly, "No, that was only one time just to annoy you, and our pods comms are shot so I'm using my wrist comms."

"I'm dying from laughter over here," Green said dryly. "We're sending a shuttle out to pick you guys up. Have any ideas of what our next move is? I can't promise I'll have _subtle_ ideas in mind."

"Well…..we got a plan. Mia and I are going to arrest Koth, and we need you to be the bad guy in the interrogation, which I'm sure you can handle" responded Arthur over the wrist comms.

"If you're asking for good cop bad cop," Green stopped to laugh, "I hope Koth made peace with the Force."

"Sounds more like bad cop worse cop to me" chuckled Arthur at Green's reply. Arthur turned to Mia and looked her in the eyes, "So what's the plan to arrest Koth?" asked Arthur, who was still out of ideas, but would never admit this out loud.

Mia nodded and looked around the pod. "Good question….I don't have an answer for it." Arthur got somewhat frustrated at how his plan was falling apart and slightly started tapping his first on the panel in front of him. "One second my plan is working, the next it comes to a hault."

"Don't worry kid," Green said over the transmission, which was still active, "There's a ton of regulations we still have to face. But….I can guarantee you it will be worth it in the end. Oni's going to make it out."

The escape pod was small and was a tight fit, but Arthur still stood up and found what little room he could and started pacing in a tight circle. He was doing good till his plan started to fall apart, and he wasn't sure what to next.

"The plan is going as," Mia paused, "planned. You shouldn't be worrying now. Save that for when we bust your master out of the dungeon." Arthur only registered about half of what she was saying as he continued to pace around the tight spaced pod.

"Arthur."

Arthur stopped and stared at Mia who had a worried expression plastered on her face. He was initially shocked at what he saw, because usually Mia was tough and hardly ever looked the way she was looking at him. She got out of her chair and stepped towards him. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she looked him dead in the eye. "Stop pacing," Mia placated, "Keep breathing."

Arthur held her gaze for a little, but couldn't hold it for long, he slowly looked down at his feet, and sighed heavily in defeat. He knew Mia was right, and he hated pacing himself, because it made him look weak and vulnerable. "It's so hard sometimes" mumbled Arthur in a saddened tone.

Mia smiled sympathetically and cupped his face. "I know, Arthur, I know." Arthur melted at her touch and put his head on her shoulder and tears started to run down his face. Mia was the only one who could make him melt like this. "I just want this to be over" sobbed Arthur into Mia's shoulder, "I'm a jedi, I'm suppose to be strong, and not like this" Arthur mumbled, as tears continued to fall from his eyes and onto Mia's shoulder.

Mia embraced him tightly and rubbed circles along his back. "I'm sure anyone would feel like this in your situation. Just remember that your master is okay and will come out of this all right." She pulled away and looked Arthur in the eye. "You have to be brave," she jabbed a finger at his chest, "You have to be brave for me, for Green, and most importantly for your master."

Arthur's tears began to stop as he continued to stare at Mia's eyes. Arthur couldn't help but stare at her eyes, for he always found them captivating. "I will." was all Arthur said, as he was still being mesmerized by Mia's beauty.

"Speaking of Green," the young woman frowned, "Where is he?" The pod suddenly jolted and Mia looked around, "Oh, there he is."

"Sorry I'm late, kids," Green spoke over the comm., laughing, "Hopefully your life support hasn't run out yet."

"Nope, we're still breathing" Arthur replied through his wrist, still not removing his gaze from Mia. Just then the pod shook again and Arthur lost his balance and fell forward and he and Mia hit the ground. Once Arthur collected himself, he realised he was on top of Mia and quickly got off, his face was beat red, and hotter than Tatooine. "Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Arthur said nervously, throwing his hands up in defence.

Mia chuckled as she stood up. "Don't worry," she said, "I'm sure Green and your master have had their share of _incidents_." Arthur was so nervous, he opened his mouth to say something but it never happened, he just closed his mouth and looked at the ground, and if it was possible for his face to get any redder, it did.

"Sorry, you probably don't want to be thinking about that," Mia stopped and frowned, "What would that be like? I mean, a Jedi and a clone commander. Hmm."

"No clue, definitely would be tough to keep hidden from the council and all the clones that Green would interact with on a daily basis" Arthur replied, after finding his bearings again. "Heck, it will be tough for me to keep us a secret from my master, so I can't imagine what they do" finished Arthur, who started to scratch the back of his head after he mentioned him and Mia as an "us".

The young woman gave him a smile, "Obviously they are doing something right. I guess we should find out what that is, shouldn't we?" She laughed before continuing, "Maybe it's some sort of couple's yoga?"

Arthur tried not to laugh, but he couldn't help it and busted out laughing. "Yeah, I'm sure that's what it is," said Arthur, while giving Mia a smirk.

The escape shook as the shuttle landed in the hangar of Green's cruiser. Mia slightly flinched as the door to the pod creaked. Slowly, it opened and Green poked his head in. "You guys all right?" he asked, looking between them.

Arthur gave Mia a quick glance then replied, "Yeah we're good. Any plans on how to capture Koth?" Arthur looked at Green with hopeful eyes, since he was fresh out of ideas on how to get Koth, except to invade his home.

Green narrowed his eyes and smirked, "Oh, I have a few. And they all involve pain. Don't worry. I already sent a message to Master Yoda. He said they'll have Koth in interrogation by the time we get back. Now, c'mon, let's go. I don't want to be late for my turn to beat the living-I mean, ask questions."

"Hey we're doing good cop, bad cop, so good guys go first, then you can have him." Arthur said, slightly chuckling at him. Green pretended to pout and crossed his arms. "Just get out of the pod," he snapped.

"I think I'll stay in here a while" replied Arthur leaning back in his chair, who just received a glare from Green, and a half smile from Mia. Arthur then laughed himself and proceeded to get out of the pod as ordered to.

"Now that we're not being watched," Green said as he looked around, noting that the nearest trooper was well away, "How is she?" Arthur didn't know himself for sure, but seeing that he didn't feel any painful disturbances in the force, figured she was still alive, so he replied the best he could. "She's alive, that's all I know"

Green sighed and ran a hand through his hair, which was slightly messy from all the stress the past few weeks. "I haven't been able to feel her part of the bond for days," the commander said, shaking his head, "I've been practically pulling my hair out since."

Arthur decided to find out more about his master's condition to give Green some closure and himself as well. Arthur took in a deep breath and closed his eyes and let the force take him to his master. Arthur felt her as the force was able to take him to her, but all he heard in his head was Dooku's despicable voice. "I'm greatly impressed by your resilience Master Kao, but you will fall soon enough." rang the voice of Dooku through Arthur's head. "You will die, but not till I get your padawan here to watch in pain" Arthur couldn't take it anymore and cut off the connection and fell to the floor, clutching the sides of his head.

"Arthur!" Mia exclaimed and knelt down. Green did as well and shook him slightly, "Kid, what did you see?" Arthur didn't hear them at all, he was in pain, and even as he tried to cut the connection to his master, he still heard Dooku's voice all around him. "Get out of my head!" Arthur yelled as he continued to keep his hands clamped to the sides of his head.

"Patch, get down here now," Green shouted through his comm. link. He gave Arthur's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "Just try to fight it, kid." Mia looked between Green and Arthur in concern, "What's going on?" The marshal commander sighed and looked and at the young woman. "He's having some sort of Force-related trauma. Oni used to get that sometimes when she would meditate. If it gets worse, I'll have Patch sedate him."

"Who's Patch?" Mia asked with a raised brow. "Our chief medical officer," Green replied and watched as Arthur kept cringing in pain, "He knows about me and Oni. I trust him."

Arthur continued to roll around on the ground as Green and Mia tried to hold him still. As they struggled to do so, the doors opened and in walked Patch. "What seems to be the…...oh" Patch took in the sight of Arthur squirming around on the ground and yelling in pain.

"Yeah," Green said and stood up, "You should probably sedate him. I didn't know all Jedi go through this."

"You got it coach" replied Patch, as he joined the commotion and pulled out a needle and sedated Arthur. Arthur's violent twists and turns began to slowly disappear, before stopping all together. "That wasn't so tough" said Patch. No one could see the smirk he had on his face, since he was wearing his clone helmet that had a hand drawn red cross on one side of it.

"You just love sticking needles into people, don't you, Patch?" Green asked with a smile, which was forced. He sighed and looked at Arthur, who was now asleep. "What do you think he saw?" he asked in concern. The fact that he couldn't feel if Oni was still alive killed him.

"Hard to tell, no figuring out the jedi and the force" replied Patch. Since he knew about Kao and Green, he couldn't imagine what Green was going through at the moment, event the kid, that was now sleeping in front of him. "Mia, help me carry him to the med bay?" asked Patch.

Mia snapped to reality and shook her head, "Oh, uh, yeah." Before she reached out to pick up Arthur's feet, she noticed Green was staring off into the distance. The young woman sighed and placed a hand on the man's arm, giving it a squeeze. "She'll be okay." When the clone turned to face her, she smiled sympathetically. "Arthur told me that Oni has been captured before. If she can survive it once, she can make it out again." Green looked away in thought before turning to Mia with a grateful smile.

Nodding, Mia gestured for Patch to pick up Arthur's upper half. Patch did so and the duo carried Arthur's sleeping body to the med bay so that he could rest comfortably before waking up. "So you and Arthur together?" asked Patch, already knowing the answer to the question.

"How did you know?" Mia asked with a shocked look.

"I do now" Patch chuckled, as he made eye contact with Mia, then quickly wished he didn't with the death stare he was getting back. The young woman's upper lip began to quiver as she thought of justified ways she could hurt him. Sighing, she decided to turn the attention somewhere else. "At least one of us isn't in a prison somewhere," Mia said, looking Arthur, "I can't imagine what the commander is going through right now." She stopped and looked at Patch, "How did you find out about him and Master Kao?"

"I figured it out after General Kao returned from being tortured the first time. Green never left her side, and skipped most of his duties around this ship to be with her. Didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out" Patch chuckled.

"Oh," Mia nodded, "So are they like….together together?"

"Married? Heck no, not yet anyway" replied Patch. "I doubt that would happen, not till the war is at least close to ending" he said. Mia chuckled, "Just wanted to see if it was possible. I mean, if a member of the Jedi Council could get away with it, I'm sure Arthur and I could." She stopped laughing when she realized what Patch said. "Wait, what do you mean 'not yet'?"

Patch was laughing hysterically at what Mia said and it took all his might not to drop Arthur's head on the floor. "Oh, I am definitely telling Arthur what you said when he wakes up" Patch said, still laughing as they came close to the med bay.

"What did I say?" Mia tried not laugh herself. "You and Arthur getting married" Patch said, as he started to calm himself down.

"Oh, well," Mia started to blush, "That's if he wants to ask, but I was asking about...oh nevermind!" She tried to push away the embarrassment. "Are Green and Oni?" she asked. "I think they will" Patch said as they entered the med bay. Patch and Mia carried Arthur to an open bed and laid him down and covered him with a blanket. "You wanna wait here or go back with me?" Patch asked Mia.

"I'm needed here," Mia said as she sat on the edge of the bed, "But do tell me when we've arrived to Coruscant." Patch nodded his head and left, leaving the two alone.

**Resist: Well there is the next chapter ladies and gents**

**Arthur: I'll admit, I liked it even though I'm in pain**

**Resist: Arthur, why are you talking? You're asleep.**

**Echo: Yeah, I thought Patch sedated you. You should be drooling in the med bay. **

**Resist: He's drooling alright, over Mia**

**Arthur: HEY!**

**Green: He was….**

**Echo: Haha, well, while Arthur continues to drool over Mia, please make sure to leave a review and come back for the next chapter! Thanks for reading!**


	10. The Rescue Part III

**Echo: Welcome back everyone! Okay, who hasn't given the disclaimer yet? Force them to do it! See what I did there? **

**Resist **_**(rolling on the floor laughing)**_**: Well Oni is the only one, but she can't do them at the moment, soooooo, Arthur you're up again!**

**Arthur: WHAT! No I am not!**

**Mia: Arthur...do it! **

**Resist: Yeah Arthur you heard her.**_** (waves hands in front of Arthur)**_** You will give the disclaimer.**

**Arthur **_**(in a trance)**_**: I will give the disclaimer. Resist and Echo don't own Star Wars or its characters**

**Resist: Huh? Guess I did force him to do it **_**(looking at his hand in disbelief)**_

**Echo: Dude, omg, you're a wizard now! **

**Resist: Well Jedi tricks do work on the weak minded, or just Arthur. Anyway, to the story...**

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

The Rescue Part III

_**(Arthur's dream)**_

_Arthur was back home on the planet Delphon walking through the streets and alleyways when the mugger that he used the dark side on jumped out of the shadows of the alleyway. The mugger demanded Arthur's valuables again, and as before, Arthur closed his eyes and clenched his fists and the mugger began to levitate off the ground and started to fight invisible hands that were around his neck. _

_Arthur finally opened his eyes and looked up at the mugger, only to see Mia instead of the mugger. Arthur panicked right away and unclenched his fists….._

_**(Med Bay)**_

Arthur awoke quickly and shot up from the bed he was on, sweating badly and his breathing was quick and uneasy. He felt a hand on his chest as Mia tried to calm him down. "Arthur, it's okay," she soothed, "I'm here. You were just having a bad dream." Mia analyzed Arthur before sighing. "What did you see before? Green wants to know."

Arthur's breathing calmed somewhat, but was still irregular, "Nothing. All I heard and remember is Dooku's voice. He was talking to Oni." Arthur was struggling to forget his nightmare but as hard as he tried, he couldn't. He couldn't get the image of Mia struggling to breath, while floating in mid air, and it was all his doing.

Mia frowned and shook her head is disbelief. "Wait, you _heard_ Dooku talking to your Master. What was he saying?"

"He's w-w-waiting for m-m-me, before he k-k-k-ends Master K-K-Kao" answered Arthur, as his breathing quickened again, remembering what The Count said. Mia placed her hands on Arthur's shoulders and shushed him. "It's okay," the young woman whispered, "At least we know she's alive, right?"

"Yeah, till I get there, then we are both gonners" said Arthur. He laid back down in his bed and looked into Mia's eyes, "Sorry" he said apologetically, "We'll get her back."

"You're darn right we will," Mia gave him a firm look, "Don't mention this to Green after all. That man is going to have a panic attack at any moment." She sighed and shook her head. "Patch said they might be engaged."

"Wouldn't surprise me now" replied Arthur. He was well aware of how Green was acting and how he kept mentioning about ripping Koth's head off when he gets his turn at interrogating him. Arthur's mind traveled back to his nightmare. He looked up at Mia and frowned slightly as his nightmare played in his mind on repeat.

"What?" Mia asked. She turned her head sharply when she heard the med bay doors open. Patch and Green hurried over to the bed with anxious looks. "We've exited hyperspace," Green said, "You feeling better, kid?"

Arthur nodded his head at Green, then turned back to Mia, "I _might _tell you later" he said as he tried to stand up. He was a little dizzy, but he managed to find his balance and made for the doors to exit the med bay.

"We have to hurry," Green said, "I don't know how long that creep will last in custody." The clone commander lead the way towards the hangar. Arthur walked beside Mia as they continued to walk.

**(Jedi Temple)**

The group made their way through the temple till they spotted Master Yoda. "Master Yoda" greeted Arthur, as he bowed in respect.

"Waiting for you in interrogation, Koth is." replied the wise master. Arthur bowed to the green master, then started to make his way to the interrogation room with the rest of the group. Arthur took in a deep breath, "Here we go" he said as he let out a long sigh. Green smirked, "I've been waiting weeks for this."

As Mia, Arthur, and Green walked into the room, they noticed Koth sitting at a metal table. His hands were cuffed, but he folded them casually on the table. The Zabrak Master looked up at the three and snickered. "It took you all that long to put the pieces together?" he asked sarcastically.

"Quiet" snapped Arthur, "We'll be asking the questions" he said in a deeper voice that he only used when he started to lose himself in anger. "Why did you betray the order? Was it for money?" asked Arthur, as he took a seat on the opposite side of the table.

Mia's eyes widened slightly at Arthur's tone of voice. Green, who was standing next to her, nudged her. "I thought I was going to be the bad cop," he whispered while watching the scene go down.

"Why would I need money?" Koth narrowed his eyes at Arthur. "You don't scare me, boy. You're just angry that you've lost another Master."

Arthur was trying his hardest not to lose control of himself. He moved his hands to either side of the chair he was in and gripped both sides of it tightly, thinking that that would keep him planted in his seat, instead of lunging at Koth. "I don't need to scare you, that's what he is for" replied Arthur with a smirk, as he gestured to Green. Arthur's voice was still deep and full of anger and hate.

Green nodded and smiled, "I'm just waiting patiently."

Mia glared at Koth the whole time, wanting him to crack. But the Jedi Master remained calm. He glanced at the young woman with a puzzled look. "Who's she?" he asked, "You hired a bounty hunter to interrogate me? It'll take a lot more than that to make me crack."

Arthur looked at Green and used a sarcastic voice, "He's still asking questions, when I told him we were the one's that would be asking questions. How stupid can a guy be?" he asked Green.

"Apparently stupid enough to fall for our trap," Mia sent back with a smirk. Koth chuckled at this, "Alright, little lady, why don't you let your boyfriend do the talking and keep your mouth shut. I don't know why they would let a bounty hunter roam our halls."

Arthur lost it, right then and there. Arthur stood up and tossed the table that separated him from Koth. The table hit the wall, and shattered a window, leaving pieces of glass on the floor. Arthur then rushed Koth and then grabbed him by the color and put him up against the wall. "Say it again, I dare you" replied Arthur getting as close he could to Koth's face. Small pieces of glass began to slightly rise from the ground as Arthur spoke in his dark tone.

"Arthur," Green warned. Sure, he wanted this guy to suffer, but the kid was starting to drift. Mia even gasped when he burst. Arthur turned his head and looked at his two friends near the back of the room, he looked at Green first, hearing his name, then turned to Mia, still not letting his grip on Koth relax. He looked at Mia's facial expression and it made his heart sink as low as it could go. She looked frightened at what he did, and he also saw that she was also frightened for him as well. His temper subsided somewhat and gathered his wits before turning back to face Koth. "You think I'm the bad cop?," he asked rhetorically. Arthur then paused for effect and then added, "Wait till you meet him" he gestured with his head to Green before releasing Koth, who then just fell to the ground. Arthur then turned around, as Koth stood back up.

"I like how you come to her rescue, can't she do it herself?" sneered Koth.

Arthur froze and made a fist with his right hand. He stood still for a few seconds before abruptly spinning on his heels and laid a full out punch to Koth's stomach, making him bend over. Arthur then grabbed him and kneed him in the gut twice, before Mia pulled him off.

"That's my job," Green said humorously, giving Arthur a cautious pat on the shoulder. He waited a few moments for Arthur to settle down before turning towards Koth. After analyzing the traitor's face, the marshal looked at Arthur and Mia and gestured towards the door. "You two may want to leave before things get messy," he said.

Mia tugged on Arthur's arm and began walking out the door, practically dragging him with her. Green pulled a chair up to the table and gestured for Koth to take his seat once more. "I'm a little more patient, but don't underestimate my hatred of you," Green said calmly and collected, as if his words were common knowledge.

"What? The bad cop didn't work out, so now you're the worse cop?" asked Koth with a giant smirk plastered on his face. "I saw this coming a mile away" finished Koth as he leaned back on his chair with his fingers interlocked behind his head, looking comfortable.

Green chuckled at this and sat back in his chair as well. "They taught me all about the wackjobs like you back on Kamino," the clone said, "I've been trained to rip you apart and poke at the little nerves til you give up." Suddenly, a dark and threatening glare came upon Green's face. He sat up and leaned on the table, folding his arms. "Do you really think I can't make you squirm? It doesn't take a Sith Lord to do that."

Koth mimicking Green sat up and put his arms on the table and rested his head on his hands. "Take your best shot clone" replied Koth. The commander snickered in return, "I could go there." He plastered an innocent look on his face before continuing. "It's a shame that Kosul Ayada couldn't be here to talk to you."

"You leave him out of this!" screamed Koth pointing a finger at Green, who just received a smirk in response from Green. The man scoffed and look adjar, "You know, that was pretty selfish of you to sacrifice your own master like that."

"You don't know what you're talking about. You better watch what you say" said Koth, with an emotionless face. Koth leaned back in his seat again, but didn't look as comfortable as before.

A flash of anger took over Green and he stood up sharply, knocking his chair over in the process. He slammed his fists on the table, which caused Koth to flinch slightly. He glared into the Zabrak's eyes with his own, tortured orbs. "_I_ am the one making threats and orders here," he snarled, "_Not_ you."

Green ground his teeth together and clenched his jaw. "Now, you are going to tell me where Dooku took her, or else we can continue this little discussion about Master Ayada," the clone stopped, "I'm sure the Jedi Council would love to know who killed him."

"You think I'm afraid of you and that you're so intimidating. _You're _not. There are much more frightening things than a clone on roids" replied Koth, returning the glare that Green was giving him.

The commander gave a huff before grabbing Koth by his shirt in one fist. He hoisted him out of the chair and over the table. "Are you so sure about that?" he asked with pure hatred in his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm sure" came the disgruntled voice of Koth as he had to stare down at Green, since he was being hoisted in the air for the second time. Green smirked at this and flipped the Zabrak over, who landed harshly on the concrete floor. "Good," the clone spat, "'Cause I'm just getting warmed up." He glanced over in the direction Arthur and Mia would be outside before turning back to Koth. "You just let me know when you're ready to give up the coordinates."

Green once again picked up Koth by the edge of his robe and threw him into the nearest wall.

"Do your worst 'Roid Rage', Count Dooku is gonna kill me after our little chat here anyway" said Koth threw gritted teeth. Green kneeled down until he was face to face with the Jedi Master. "Not if I don't first," he spat and pinned the Jedi to the wall with his right hand. His left hand pointed at the sky. "Do you have any idea what your Master would say if he saw this...if he saw _you_? You betrayed him." Green's voice continued to get deeper and darker as he went on; "You killed your own Master to save your own pathetic life. How does it feel to kill another Master, huh? How about a third? If you don't hand me those coordinates, I'm going to add your soul to the list."

"I got a question for you," replied Koth through his short breaths, "Has Arthur told you what he heard when he tapped into the force?" asked Koth, "Dooku is gonna gut your precious Jedi right in front of him." Koth then spit down at Green's shoes.

The commander exclaimed in a fury and threw an uppercut straight to the Zabrak's jaw. He effortlessly picked the Jedi up and smashed him into the table, breaking its legs off. As Koth lay on his back in pain, Green circled around him, seething.

Koth laid on the back in so much pain, and decided to give in. He couldn't take another round with this guy. He knew he was a dead man anyway, "Your Master…" Koth started to speak as he coughed out blood, "Is on Serenno" he said before he coughed out more blood.

**(Outside the Interrogation Room, Arthur/Mia Conversation, Moments earlier)**

Arthur walked out of the interrogation room, shortly followed by Mia. Arthur immediately growled in frustration and did a quick and hard one, two punch to the wall, then leaned his head on the wall trying to calm himself.

Mia smiled slightly and placed her hands on Arthur's shoulders as she always did to calm him. "You need to get out of that habit," she sighed, "I know your Master is in charge of teaching you how, but maybe this is providing you an opportunity to dig deeper and find your balance."

Arthur turned around to look at her, and then leaned his back up against the wall. "Maybe I should have stayed on Delphon, maybe I'm not cut out for this" Arthur replied. "I fall too easily to the darkside."

"Don't say that," Mia gave him one of her firm looks. "You are a Jedi. Right now you need to find that balance within yourself. Just because these other Jedi don't get angry doesn't mean they never had it. Your Master was once your age and was probably going through the same struggle you are. Just give it time."

Arthur knew she was right, and he was tired of falling to the darkside of the force. "I'm going for a walk" said Arthur and started to walk away. He figured a short walk before returning to the interrogation would calm him and give Green the time he needed to crack Koth.

"Be careful Arthur," Mia warned. She wanted to go with him, but knew he had to do this alone in order to organize his thoughts. The young woman turned her attention to the interrogation at hand, which was about to turn in their favor.

**(Three minutes later)**

Arthur after taking a quick walk around the surrounding halls, returned to the interrogation room. He smiled at Mia and walked over to her and leaned against the wall right next to her and looked at the sight unfolding in the interrogation room. Despite his look of hate, the clone seemed to be enjoying himself...for good reason.

Mia smiled, "I think he broke him finally."

"Koth held out longer than I would have gave him. Good thing I didn't bet on it" Arthur laughed as he continued to watch Green interrogate Koth. Arthur felt hope, since they were really close to finding his master.

Suddenly, the clone stopped and had Koth pinned down on the ground. It seemed as if the two were conversing. As they finished, Green sharply looked at the door out of the interrogation room. "What's going on?" Mia inquired. The two watched as the commander ran out of the room. He rounded the corner, panting. "He just told me where she is," he said in a rush.

Arthur was filled with excitement, he couldn't believe that after this time they would finally have a chance to rescue Master Kao. "After you," Arthur said as he gestured with his hands and did a mocking bow to Green.

The clone tried to laugh but was panting too hard, "Sorry, it's the adrenalin. There's still the bad news…"

"What?" Arthur and Mia asked together. Arthur slightly turned red at this, but it quickly faded away. "She's on Serenno," Green said. When Arthur and Mia gave him a curious look, he sighed. "It's Dooku's homeworld deep in Separatist space."

"Well that figures" replied Arthur in a sarcastic tone, "Just once, I wish something was easy to accomplish" finished Arthur, who was slightly bummed about having to go deep in Separatist space, but it was a small price to pay for getting Master Kao back.

Mia rolled her eyes at this piece of information. It was always one obstacle after another. "How are we supposed to get that far into Separatist territory?"

"Think Padme could help us? She probably has contacts deep in Separatist space." asked Arthur who was just fishing for any ideas that popped in his head.

"Politicians in the Separatist Senate perhaps?" Green asked with a raised brow. "That sounds like a pretty smart plan. Though it might be hard to smuggle a Jedi, a bounty hunter, and a clone even then. We don't exactly blend in with the general public."

"We'll just have to change our getup and smuggle what we need to rescue Master Kao" said Arthur who was thinking hard on how to make this plan work. They only had one shot at this. Mia and Green both nodded at this. "Well, kid," the commander sighed, "What's our next move?"

"Talking to Padme about smuggling us into Separatist space" said Arthur as he started to walk down the hall, but then realized he didn't know where she was or anything, as a matter of fact. "Where is she actually?" Arthur asked, slightly embarrassed.

Green looked at the floor in thought. "Senate building would be the best place to look," he said, "But I highly suggest we talk with the Jedi Council and have them speak to her on the matter."

"Sounds good to me" replied Arthur, and they started to make their way toward the Jedi Council room. Green and Mia followed suit. Mia caught up to Arthur and nudged his shoulder. "Are they in a meeting?"

"Probably, that's all they do" he laughed at himself, but then calmed down, "Don't know, but we'll soon find out" as he walked up near the door to the Council room. Green shrugged, "Let's get it over with."

As the doors opened, the three saw that a few of the Council members were present. Of them, Windu and Yoda, turned and looked towards them. "Have you made progress, Padawan?" Master Windu asked Arthur, obviously knowing why they were there.

"Yes we have, but in order to act out our plan, we need assistance from Senator Amidala and we were hoping you could help us out with that" Arthur said politely as he bowed to the masters. Windu looked to Yoda for approval, who nodded. Turning back to Arthur, he said, "We will arrange for the senator to meet you in the Senate building right away. The three of you should go there immediately."

**(Senator Amidala's ship) **

Arthur was sitting in the back of the ship looking over his civilian get up. His clothes felt weird after getting use to his Jedi robes. He brushed his shoulders and kept fiddling with his clothes. Beside him, Green was also checking out his attire. His loose clothing didn't really fit with the helmet he was given, but he had to do the best to cover his identity.

"Someone not like being a civilian?" chuckled Arthur gesturing with his hand to Green's civilian clothes. The clone looked disgusted, "I hate it! Who wears clothes like these?"

"You two look ridiculous," they heard Mia say from the door. Instead of her bounty hunter suit, she now wore what looked to be one of Senator Amidala's dresses, though, it was one of the less "flashy" ones. Arthur was lost in her as he looked over the dress she was wearing, and he instantly became speechless and his jaw slightly dropped.

"You're face is going to get stuck like that," Green chuckled as he noticed Arthur staring.

Arthur's turned beet red and he looked away, then came up with a comment of his own for Green. "Are you speaking from experience?" asked Arthur who started to laugh at his own comeback.

It was Green's turn to stop and blush. "Well," the commander started to say with a smug look. The door on the other side of the room opened and two clones wearing similar attire to Green appeared. Green cleared his throat and gave Arthur a look that said "We'll discuss this later".

"Sir," one of the commandos said, "I feel stupid."

"Join the club" said Arthur as he gestured to Green, before laughing. He stood up and started to walk around to get used to his outfit. It wasn't that he was not used to wearing normal civilian clothes, it just that he got used to wearing his Jedi outfit, and that it felt weird to go back to original clothes.

The other commando looked himself up and down before shrugging, "I'm okay with it." Everyone turned to him with confused and concerned looks. "What?" he defended, "It's more comfortable than the scratchy body suit!"

Arthur then walked over to the two ARC Troopers and introduced himself. "Name's Arthur Perry. Yours?" he asked politely extending a hand. The first trooper nodded and shook his hand, "I'm Harper, and this is Ghost." The latter nodded his respects as well and shook his hand.

Arthur walked back to his seat and sat down, figuring they were coming up to their destination soon. "You ready for this?" asked Arthur nudging Green in the shoulder, who was still fiddling with his outfit.

"To be humiliated?" he asked, glancing at all of their attire. Arthur rolled his eyes, "I meant to get our butts kicked by Dooku" said Arthur with a hint of sarcasm.

Ghost snickered, "I'm looking forward to kicking _his_ butt, sir. I've been waiting too long in this darn war for an opportunity to do so."

"Well here is our shot" said Arthur then Senator Amidala's voice came over the comm system in the ship telling us to buckle up as we were beginning our descent. Harper chuckled at what his brother said. "But I wish we could take a couple grenades with us to celebrate."

"Don't worry," Green smirked, "You boys will get your chance. We have a couple spies that will have gear for us when we arrive."

"Green can't wait for that so he can get out of his civies" laughed Arthur who started to earn chuckles from everyone on board. "Oh you're gonna get it when we rescue the general," Green threatened, giving Arthur the stink eye. Arthur studied Green's stink eye for a second or two before bursting into more laughter, "You should see your face," started Arthur, as he paused for a brief time before adding, "Though I wouldn't look in a mirror if I had yours" he said, still laughing.

"Why do you have to be my superior?" Green asked, shaking his head, "I'd have you cleaning droids for the rest of your life." Arthur cooled down on the laughing and looked at Green with a smirk and just relaxed in his seat waiting for their trip to be over. "Shouldn't we be landing soon?" he asked, getting back to the major matter at hand.

"I can push you off the ship and you'll get there sooner," Green said with a smirk and smiled innocently when Arthur looked at him. "I'd land on my feet, cause I would just use the force" replied Arthur, who gave his own smirk in return to Green. The commander rolled his eyes and muttered something about pushing himself off the plane.

"Uh," Harper looked between the two cautiously, "Yeah, we're scheduled to land in about three minutes."

"Right then" replied Arthur as he started to tap his side searching for his lightsaber out of habit. "Alright," Mia said, looking around at the group. She looked as if she was going to say something, but suddenly burst out laughing, "We look so stupid." Green face palmed and grunted to himself. "I can't believe we're doing this."

Arthur felt the ship shake slightly and figured they were landing. He quickly stopped searching for his lightsaber, since he remembered he didn't have it, and felt something was missing from him without it. He stood up and did one last mental check before being ready to go.

"Everybody move out," Green ordered, putting on his helmet.

Everyone filed out of the ship and made their way into the crowded streets of Dooku's home world. "This is the last place I want to be" replied Arthur, seeing a bunch of droids and Separatist supporters walking in the streets and all around them. Ghost smirked, "Sir, am I obligated to leave these droids in one piece?"

"No fighting," Green snapped, "You two better behave."

Arthur turned to Green with a questionable expression on his face, "Where do we exactly go to get our gear?" Arthur asked Green. Arthur was somewhat lost since he was on a foreign planet, and a major Separatist controlled planet at that. "We have to get to the safehouse where the spies are, kid," the commander answered, trying to keep his voice as low as possible.

Arthur continued walking down the street, toward the safehouse that Green slightly gestured to, not trying to get anyone's attention. As they continued walking, Arthur kept glancing up, down and all around to see if anyone was following them, or if anyone was growing suspicious of them. "So far so good" Arthur said in a hushed tone. Mia nodded and stuck close to Arthur, "I hope it remains that way. Can you feel your master's presence?"

"It is getting stronger, but I still do not know the exact location. Once we get our stuff, I'll just follow her presence and it should lead us to her." replied Arthur. He was doing his best at hiding his feelings, but he was getting excited, they were so close to rescuing Master Kao, and there was no turning back, they had one shot to pull this off and everything had to go perfect. "We're at the safehouse" Arthur said, in a slightly lower tone" not wanting to attract attention.

Green took out the keycard they had been given, opened the door, and allowed everyone to walk in. As everyone was walking in to the safehouse, Arthur stood by the doors making sure they didn't pick up any unwanted guests. Once he was sure no one was watching, he shut the doors and rejoined the others. "Alright lets gear up" said Arthur, happy to ditch his civilian clothes.

Mia looked around at the interior of the house, which was decorated more than she would like. "Who's rich enough to live here?" she asked. "Definitely not me" replied Arthur as he whistled, taking in the interior design. "I definitely wouldn't mind retiring to something like this" he complimented.

"Do Jedi even retire?" Ghost asked, taking in the luxuries as well. "Yes, they can quit anytime they want, at least I think so" replied Arthur, as he equipped his lightsaber to his side. "Yeah, definitely wouldn't mind this, but I would settle for something small too" replied Arthur. He wouldn't tell anyone this, not even Mia yet, but he would be happy anywhere as long as Mia was with him.

"If clones could retire, I would pick a place like this," Harper said, nodding. Green walked into the lavish living room and saw a rack with their usual attire hanging up, though the suits were brand new and looked to be more equipped for climbing.

"We're scaling a wall?" Ghost asked, inspecting a rather large grappling hook. "Looks like we are" replied Arthur, "Also probably wouldn't hurt if we stuck to rooftops too, so we can avoid civilians who might foil our plan before it even begins" he finished.

"We are doing this at night," Green said, "And since the droids will likely be doing patrols, rooftops are our best bet."

"About time we agreed on something" Arthur smirked at Green, as he put on his kama then slid his lightsaber into his right pocket. The man shook his head with a smile, "Don't get cocky, kid."

"Jeez, relax man. What crawled up your afterburners?" asked Arthur as he chuckled at Green. The commander squinted, "I can't wait to get the general back on the grid 'cause she is going to kick your butt when I tell her about this." Arthur stopped laughing right away and a serious face appeared as he agreed with what Green said. He also knew that Oni would probably kick his butt eventually for something, and his bet was his relationship with Mia.

"That's what I thought," Green said with a nod. Arthur just turned around and walked away defeated in a game of wits with Green, and waited for everyone else to get ready. As he waited, he continued to look around the house, admiring the layout and pictures that hung from the wall.

"You better not be nervous," Mia said, walking up next to him, "We have this one in the bag." She sighed and patted Arthur's shoulder. "We're going to get your Master back, trust me."

Arthur didn't make eye contact with her, he knew she was right, but there was still a small part of him that was saying that this plan wouldn't work. "Yeah I know," Arthur said as he sighed after speaking.

"I can hear the doubt in your voice," the young woman said, "Just have patience." Arthur took a deep breath and then let it out, as he continued to comb over the house, still looking at all the paintings. It was a huge house, that he felt he could get lost in if he wasn't careful. "I'm cool as I can be" replied Arthur, still staring at the paintings on the wall and not making eye contact with Mia.

"Don't lie to me," Mia said with a smirk, "I see and hear _everything_. Tell me." Arthur slowly looked her in the eyes and saw that they were full of concern for him. "I just don't want to mess this up, if it goes bad it's my fault. Green would never forgive me, or anyone" said Arthur.

"Why would it be your fault, or anyone's fault for that matter?" Mia asked, giving him somewhat of a scrutinizing gaze, "Do you have any idea how Green is feeling? He might be thinking that it's his fault she got captured."

"Yeah, well it's not his, it was mine. I was her back up, I should have followed her instead of letting her go off on her own." said Arthur, getting angry with himself. He was about to punch the wall, but when his fist was in mid air he stopped himself.

"You need to stop," Mia said, "When things go bad, you can't blame yourself. Was it your fault that Grievous took your lightsaber? No, that was his doing. Was it your fault when Koth told Dooku? No. None of that is your fault. None."

Arthur shook his head. "It _was my _fault Grievous took _my _lightsaber. If I hadn't have used the dark side and dropped my blade on the ground then I'd still have it" replied Arthur. He turned around to try and walk away but felt a sharp grip on his wrist.

Mia glared at him, "What did I just say?" Arthur felt her grip on his wrist tighten, if that was possible. He took a deep breath or two and calmed down and then turned his gaze to Mia. Arthur continued to look into Mia's electric blue eyes and apologize, "Sorry, again. I need to learn" said Arthur as he slowly pulled his wrist out of Mia's grasp.

She softened her gaze and nodded, "That's what I thought. Now, we need to get ready for this mission. Don't pack doubt or guilt with you."

**Resist: Well that's all folks for now. Roll the Credits.**

**Echo: Whoa, whoa….aren't we going to say thanks? Or let Arthur yell at us? **

**Arthur: I yelled at Mia haha. Well what Echo said. All of us here thank you awesome readers and pleeeeeease drop reviews for us.**


	11. The Rescue Part IV

**Random Announcer (using deep voice): You've waited…..You've asked for their return….Ladies and Gentlemen, here is Resist and Echoooooo!**

**Echo: Thank you! *waves to the crowd and leans towards Resist, whispering* Where did they come from? And who is that guy? I don't remember signing **_**his**_** paycheck...**

**Resist: Don't know. Just roll with it (waves and flexes his fake muscles for the crowd)**

**Arthur: Hey guys, we are back with a new chapter and since you guys had to wait a long time, this chapter is by far the biggest written by Echo and Resist, so without further interruptions, enjoy the story**

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

The Rescue Part IV

Arthur had continued to walk around the house with Mia after getting his gear packed for the mission. They had to wait till night to fall anyway, so they had less of a chance at getting caught as they ran across the rooftops of Serenno.

"I've got a bad feeling about this" replied Arthur who was leaping from rooftop to rooftop more nimble than anyone else that was there, which was due to the fact that he could use the force. Arthur inwardly thanked for that or he would be making a lot of noise right now.

As they approached an intersection and the end of the rooftops, Green crouched down and held up a fist, telling them to stop and lay low. "Why would you say that?" the marshal asked with sarcasm. Ghost rolled his eyes and nudged Harper on the shoulder, "It looks like our intel was a little stale, huh?"

Harper chuckled quietly at Ghost's sarcasm and nodded his head. "Which way sir?" he asked Green who was in front of him. The older clone sighed, "We'll have to double back and head down another neighborhood. Otherwise we'd have to cross this street, but that would cause too much confusion."

Arthur thought for a moment and then got somewhat of an idea, "What if I used the force to get us over the street? Or we could tight rope across? Your pick" Arthur said as he pulled out a grapnel gun. "We don't want to waste our cables or take the risk," Green said, observing the scene, "Our shadows would be visible down there and draw the droids' suspicions."

"Well I'm officially out of ideas then, unless you want to try and double back, but that is lost time that we might need to rescue Master Kao" replied Arthur in a low tone, so the droids don't hear them. "Well, we should take that time instead of revealing ourselves," Mia said, looking back towards the other neighborhoods, trying to find a better route.

"After you then ma'am" Arthur replied stepping aside and gesturing with his hand for Mia to take the lead and that he would have her back as she tried to find a new route for the team to take. Green turned to the young woman, "See anything?"

Mia nodded and pointed off in the distance. "If we head back about three blocks," she said in a hush, "We can jump onto the rooftops of the cul de sac. See? They snake around and meet up with the mountain not too far from the palace."

The team followed Mia back three blocks and then scanned the space they had to jump. Arthur let out a long sigh. "Fantastic" he said with sarcasm as he rolled his eyes. "You can jump better than we can," Ghost said with humor. The clone took a few steps back before sprinting and launching off the roof. Luckily, the gap between their rooftop and the next was only about five feet wide. When Ghost landed with a somersault, he turned around and gave the others a thumbs up.

Arthur took a few steps back and started his sprint and then also launched himself, but landed on the down sloping part of the next roof and slid down some before gaining back his traction. Arthur met up with Ghost on the other side and waited for the others.

"Looks like you're right," Green said, scanning over the new neighborhood with his helmet off, "If we run down this line of houses, we'll have access to the wall. Dooku's palace is a good two miles from where the cul de sac meets the cliff."

"Well guess we should get moving then" replied Arthur, who started to head in the direction Green was gesturing toward. "Don't want to keep Dooku waiting now do we?" he asked. Green nodded and sighed, trying to cover the pain in his eyes. He wanted to tell Arthur, but not with Ghost and Harper around. Looking at the kid, he gave him an expression that said "We're running out of time" before putting on his bucket.

Arthur quickly nodded in his direction and then stole a glance at Mia, to calm himself. They had a long and tough road ahead of them and he was going to need all the help he could get in rescuing his master. Arthur reached out with the force again to find his master and felt pain and suffering, until he quickly dropped the connection as what happened before with Dooku talking in his mind flooded his memory banks.

Green rested a hand on Arthur's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "C'mon," he said without his usual enthusiasm, "She'll be okay."

Arthur gave a smile, "I know" replied Arthur without his usual voice. His answer was mumbled and unless you were standing right next to him you wouldn't have heard him. Green nodded and motioned for the group to keep moving, masking his pain as well. Ghost and Harper saluted and began sprinting across the roof to the next.

Arthur followed the clones with Mia to his left. Arthur couldn't stop thinking about when he heard Dooku's voice in his head before waking up in the med bay. Arthur knew Dooku was waiting for him to finish what he started with his master, but he still wasn't going to let him win.

It was only another ten minutes of consistent running through the thick forests of Serenno before the group could see the wall.

"I'd be alright, if I never saw another forest again" replied Arthur as he swatted away a couple branches before stepping into the opening. They all brushed themselves off before creeping closer towards a line of bushes, which hid them enough from a series of droids and lights on top of the wall, which was, of course, almost forty feet tall.

"Alright," Green said, pulling something off his utility belt, "Grab your ascension cables; we're scaling this thing now."

Arthur did as Green ordered and pulled out his ascension cable and fired up the wall, as did the rest of the group. They all started scaling the wall around the same time.

"Going up?" asked Arthur looking at Mia.

The young woman observed the device in her hands. "Uh, yeah," she said nervously. Mia swallowed hard before looking at the top. "It's just….uh….it's kind of high."

Arthur lost control and busted out laughing. "Sorry, I'm sorry," he said through small fits of laughter, "The Great Mia is afraid of heights?" asked Arthur, still slightly chuckling at the scene before him. Mia crossed her arms, a threatening glare on her face. "What's your fear, again, mister?" she asked, smirking.

"I don't know, you tell me," replied Arthur, "I am a jedi, we are impervious to fear" Arthur replied with his head held high. Mia scowled at him again. "If I'm correct, you were scared of embarrassing yourself in front of girls," she said, slightly smirking.

"Still got the girl didn't I?" asked Arthur with a large smirk on his face. He then turned to face up the wall and began to climb it again. Arthur stopped again and looked back to Mia to read her face and gave her a smile when she started to climb up.

A grin grew on Mia's face as she caught up to him. "Not if you keep picking on Green," she laughed, "I wouldn't want to be you when your Master finds out."

Arthur laughed a little, "She won't" Arthur replied, giving Mia a quick kiss on the cheek then continued to climb up the wall.

"C'mon, runts," Harper called out to them, "Less yapping and more climbing!"

(The palace walls)

"This place is crazy huge," Ghost whispered as the group crouched behind a layer of bushes across from the wall. The massive, concrete and metal walls surrounded the enormous palace of the wealthy Count. Droids patrolled the perimeter, using flashlights on their guns to see. "It looks like a prison yard," Harper replied, "Who needs this much space?"

"Our entry point is through the sewer access over there," Green said, pointing towards a hatch near the bottom of the wall, somewhat out of view of the above droids. "The sewer system connects back to the village and is pretty complex, so it'll take us awhile to find our way into the palace from there."

"Right now our problem is actually getting to the hatch," Mia scoffed, counting the number of droids.

Arthur stole a glance at Mia and decided to step up to the plate and make himself look good. "I could dodge the light and make it over to the hatch and get it open for the rest of you" suggested Arthur, not making eye contact with Mia, and looking to the others for their answers.

"How would we dodge the lights to get over there?" Harper asked, raising a brow. His brother scoffed and looked towards Arthur. "We're trained, but we don't have your Jedi magic," Ghost said.

Arthur looked at the two clones, still avoiding Mia, "After opening the hatch, I could get their attention from the other side, which would allow you to easily get to the hatch, without getting caught in the lights" Arthur said, waiting for the clones response. Green snickered and pointed a thumb over his shoulder at Arthur, "See? The General is starting to wear off on him."

"Good plan," Mia said, stifling a laugh at the marshal's comment, "You'd better get going before the sun rises."

"I'm nothing like Kao" mumbled Arthur under his breath, as he started off towards the hatch, using his jedi skills to remain undetected by the Separatist droids guarding the place. Arthur silently made his way to and around the spot lights and reached the hatch. Arthur, as quietly possible, opened the hatch and then made his way through the tunnel to the other side of the compound, preparing himself for his distraction.

Arthur jumped up onto the wall of the compound where the droids are, surprising them. Arthur then pulls out his lightsaber and ignites his blue blade and waits for the droids to react.

"Blast him" yells a droid standing next to his commander, pointing towards Arthur. All at once blaster fire streaks towards Arthur, who deflects the blasts with ease sending them back to the droids making several go offline.

"You idiot!" yells the commander to the droid that gave the order to fire. The droids still continue to move in slowly, surrounding Arthur, who unknowingly to them hits a button on his wrist comm, which gives the signal to the other members of the team on the opposite side of the compound.

Green's attention snapped to his wrist comm. when it flickered red. "That's the signal," he grumbled, "Let's get going before Arthur gets himself into more trouble." Mia snickered and started running for the hatch. The clones followed behind as they sprinted across the clearing, panting and huffing.

Once they reached the metal access hatch, Green opened it and motioned for the others to jump in first. Whilst they did so, he continuously looked above to make sure all the droids kept their attention on Arthur. After Ghost, Harper, and Mia were down and into the tunnel, Green hopped down and closed the hatch. "Night vision," Harper said, pulling down his microbinoculars. Mia rolled her eyes as Ghost and the commander followed suit. "I guess one of you are going to be my guide dog."

"Wait, let me disable the security systems," Ghost said, turning to a panel in the tunnel. Opening it, he yanked out a few wires and started messing with the calibrations. "Why?" Green asked, starting to walk down the tunnel, "We need to get Arthur and then find the sewer system underneath the palace."

"Yeah," Harper started, "But if every droid in the complex knows where we are, then we won't be able to. Plus, if we disable the security systems, they won't be able to tell which way we get into the palace, unlike your original plan."

The commander sighed and rolled his eyes, "ARC troopers…"

"Got it," Ghost said, "Piece of cake." Mia snorted before she started pushing them along, "Okay let's go now!" Green nodded and started running down the tunnel. He noticed an intersecting tunnel that looked promising and brought up his wrist comm. to signal Arthur to get back down.

**(Inside the Complex, Kao's prison cell)**

Master Kao dangled from the containment field that had her suspended in mid air in her dark cell. Just then the doors opened, which allowed light to enter the cell, slightly causing Kao's eyes to flicker at the change in brightness.

The magna guards entered her cell and dragged her out of the cell and into an open floor where Dooku stood with his back toward her. The droids forcefully dropped her onto the floor where she slightly sait upwards and looked at the back of Dooku.

"Your foolish padawan approaches to rescue you" said Dooku in his deep voice. "I know," Oni panted, rolling her eyes in an unusual display of emotion, "But...you're not...all powerful, Count."

"He will watch with horror as you are killed in front of his eyes. The boy will join the dark side or he will die shortly after your death" replied The Count with his cold voice. "He's...too scared….of the Dark Side," Kao spat, "Like me...he'll never join you. Your tactics are...becoming stale."

Just then a pair of doors open, revealing three magna guards with their electrified staffs. "Bring me the boy alive. I don't care what you do to him, just make sure he is still alive and conscious" replied Dooku, who received acknowledgement from the magna guards who then left to get Arthur.

**(Outside Compound with Arthur)**

Arthur continued to destroy droid after droid as volleys of blaster fire whizzed by him. Arthur only had a few droids left, but could feel his strength leaving him quickly. Arthur managed to destroy another and mentally started to count how many droids were left. _'Three' _as he blocked more blasts and sent them back at the droids. _'Two' _as one of the deflected blasts hit a droid. Arthur then charged the remaining two and destroyed their weapons before cutting both in half with a swing of his blade.

Just as he turned around to continue on his own way to find his master, a pair of doors off in the distance opened revealing three magna guards with their staffs up and ready. Arthur mentally cursed and then raised his own blade in front of him.

The guards noticed him up on the wall and began marching towards him, knowing he would take the offensive rather than staying on the wall.

Arthur leaped from the wall and came crashing down on one of the guards cutting him in two. He then had to fight in close combat with the other two guards. The two guards flanked him, so Arthur was busy swinging his lightsaber across his body in order to block both guards attacks but he fell weary and took several quick blows to his sides and collapsed on the ground, admitting defeat. Arthur was then dragged across the compound to the same doors the guards came out of in the first place and entered them.

**(Back Inside the Compound with Dooku)**

Dooku continued to stand with his back towards Master Kao, who was now on the ground, resting on her knees. Her head hung low from exhaustion and the feeling of defeat. The doors opened and two magna guards entered dragging Arthur, whose breathing was irregular. The droids continued to drag Arthur over to the area of Oni and then stopped and threw Arthur onto the floor, which caused him to give out a pained grunt and continue his irregular breathing.

Oni's head snapped towards him with a look of anger. "I told you not to come!" she barked. Arthur looked into her eyes, that have lost their usual color, and gave a smirk, "Yeah….well….I was... never good at….. following…. directions. I thought Kenobi…... told you that," Arthur managed to wheeze out. Arthur laughed a little, which caused him to clinch up in pain.

Despite the situation, Oni couldn't resist a smile, though irritated. "He did mention that," she scoffed, "Next time I'll get captured when there's someone to babysit you."

"I'm not a baby" mumbled Arthur, trying to avoid as much pain as possible when he talked. "No offense, but….. I don't think I….. could handle…. a next time," replied Arthur. His humorous attitude was gone, and he now looked at his master with a serious and concerned face. Her look of irritation disappeared and she glared up at Dooku. "You still think your plan will work, Count?" Oni inquired, "It failed the first time. It will fail again."

Dooku turned to face them for the first time and his look was emotionless. "Your padawan will beg for mercy when I am done with you two" he replied, giving Oni his cold and bitter look. "My plan may not have worked the first time, but that is what trial and error is for." continued Dooku, who started to step towards the duo on the ground.

Oni turned to Arthur with a raised brow. "So this was your plan? Coming alone?"

Arthur gave her a look of mock hurt, and gave her a wink and casually pressed a button on his wrist comm to signal his surprise for Dooku and his master. Just then an explosion was heard and everyone looked in that general direction to see three clones and a bounty hunter come out and start blasting the surrounding droids. Arthur made a move to grab his lightsaber and was about to free his master when he felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder, and he collapsed on the ground right next to his master.

Oni smirked as Dooku hooked his attention towards the incoming group. With the Force, she summoned Arthur's lightsaber and one of her own dangling on the Count's hip. As the blue and green blades ignited, Kao chuckled and stood up. "Like I said," she waited for Dooku to turn around and realize what happened, "It's going to fail again."

A determined look came upon the Jedi Master's face and she leapt towards Dooku, blades poised for a killing blow. Dooku just in time, was able to lift his blade up to lock blades with Oni. "Your padawan lies on the floor, and soon he will die" replied Dooku, pushing back against Oni.

She fought his words, not letting them distract her as they did when she lost her first Padawan two years ago. "Talk as much as you like, Count," Oni scoffed, "But I'm immune. Your failure last time has sealed that deal." The female Jedi pushed against his blade, sending him back. Backflipping a few yards away, she landed in a defensive stance, waiting for the Sith Lord to make his move. Her blades crossed behind her back as she held them in a backwards grip.

Dooku looked at the poised Jedi Master and decided to send streaks of lightning at her to get her attention as he closed the gap. Oni easily continued draw the lightning to her lightsaber and Dooku made his way toward her. When Dooku was close enough he let the lightning leave his finger tips and allowed the last bit to travel toward Oni, and then leaped into the air to strike down hard on the Jedi Master.

Realizing that he was no longer relying upon his traditional Soresu ways, Oni waited until the last possible second to roll away. Dooku landed where she once was, digging his saber into the floor of his palace. The Jedi stood back up, deciding to use the deadly form of Vaapad.

Dooku realized his hold was slipping on Oni and so he decided it was time to go. He pushed Oni back with the force to gain the space he needed to operate and pulled down some debri off the wall and sent it at Arthur who was still laying on the ground in immense pain from his irregular breathing and his shoulder wound.

Kao gasped and dropped the lightsabers. Reaching out her hands, she caught every piece of debris in time before they hit her Padawan. With a strained grunt, she threw the pile across the room and into a wall. Looking behind her, she saw that the Sith Lord was gone. As she ran towards Arthur to help him, Green and company ran into the room. "General," the commander exclaimed as he spotted her kneeling down. He placed a hand on her shoulder before looking down at Arthur.

"Good job, kid," he said with a pant, "We thought you actually got caught there." Mia smiled down at the apprentice, "We knew you had some sort of dubious plan."

"I only have one plan, and that is to make it up as I go," Arthur smiled back at her. He was obviously in pain and the smile was somewhat forced. "Come on," Oni said, wrapping Arthur's right arm around her shoulders to help him up, "Let's go. You look worse than me."

"I didn't think that was possible master" Arthur replied, earning a laugh from the clones, until he took a step and would have fell face first if his master wasn't holding onto him, which then made the clones laugh even harder.

"Karma," Green said in a sing-song voice, "Just wait 'til I tell her what you said while she was gone." Oni paused in her attempt to help him. "What'd you say?" Arthur just shook his head as fast as possible without hurting himself. Oni's eyes narrowed, the liquid amber coloration returning to them. "What. Did. You. Say?"

"Um, what did I say? I forget cause of my head injury" replied Arthur who looked toward Green. The marshal commander smirked and crossed his arms over his chest, "I could list the smart remarks you made in the three weeks your Master has been gone, but I don't think we could spare twenty minutes."

A smug look came on Oni's face, "Oh really? I thought I specifically said that Arthur is supposed to do what you say when you say it."

"Hey now, I was in charge of this rescue and got you out master, and I didn't say that many smart remarks" defended Arthur. Everyone in the room gave him an "Are you kidding me?" look. Arthur slightly raised hands, since they were around Oni, "Ok, ok. I said a lot, but at least my plan still worked" replied Arthur in a last attempt to save himself from the wrath of his master.

Oni took in a deep breath and gave him a smile, "Thank you." When Arthur looked as if he was relieved, she chuckled. "You're still going to be severely punished."

"Yes master" he gave a look to Mia that said "I think we are still good." Arthur felt much better now than he did the past several weeks…. no months…. well whatever it was, he felt much better since getting Oni back, and he hoped things could return to normal somewhat. Arthur still had a puzzling look on his face, which his master seem to have noticed, since he was staring right at her.

Kao either ignored the puzzled look due to her injuries, or decided to question him on it later. "What's the plan to get off this rock?" the Jedi Master asked, looking from Arthur to Mia to Green. "I assume that you did not come here with a Republic fleet?"

"Nope, just on a senator's ship" replied Arthur, still with the puzzling look plastered on his face. "I didn't really think this far ahead. Now is where we wing it and make it up as we go" said a chuckling Arthur, who immediately stopped when Oni's eyes narrowed at him.

"I think we all really need to improve our planning skills," Green said, looking off into space. Everyone in the room grunted in agreement and nodded their heads. "Yeah, we do," Mia said, looking off as well. Oni scoffed and shook her head, "Okay, let's stop daydreaming and get going!"

They all took off simultaneously in the same direction, Oni still having to help Arthur walk. Oni and Arthur were behind the rest of the group a good distance, so Arthur figured he would ask his question that has been on his mind. He knew it probably wasn't the greatest time, but took a shot. "Master, what happened to your first padawan? Is it why you didn't really want me at the beginning?" asked Arthur with curiosity that was hard to miss.

Oni covered her emotional reaction with her usual stoic, wise glance. "She was a lot like you, to say the least," Kao said, "And what happened to her is something I _never_ want to see again."

"Was it Dooku? It wasn't hard to pick up on. I picked up clues when you two talked, and it was written all over your face, that I gotten better at reading, because you usually show no emotion at all" replied Arthur. He knew he was getting into rough waters, but decided he would take the plunge and pay for it later.

"Well, Arthur," Oni said, "It happened almost two years ago..."

**Resist: Well that the latest installment of this awesome story! Tune in for the next adventure filled with tension.**

**Arthur: WAIT! TIME OUT! What about the story Oni was going to tell?**

**Echo: Hehe, that's not going to be in **_**this**_** story**

**Resist (using his deep announcer voice): From the makers of this story, namely Echo, comes this new story, a sequel-prequel about the sister of Oni's first padawan.**

**Arthur: Hold up. First off, that was dramatic, and secondly how can it be a sequel and a prequel?**

**Green: Uh, well….it starts before the beginning of this story…**

**Oni: And then ends after the end of this story. **

**Arthur: Huh, well that makes a lot more sense. Well ladies and gents, that it for this chapter and don't forget to drop reviews and don't sweat, this story is still alive and kicking.**

**Mia: Arthur….you forgot something? *smirks at him* **

**Arthur: What may that be my lady?**

**Mia: *whispering* The thing with Resist and Echo not owning something! *fake cough***

**Arthur: Ah crap, thanks beautiful. Well, Resist and Echo don't own this thing called Star Wars.**


	12. The Training Part I

**Resist: We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas….**

**Arthur: Stop singing, you're hurting my ears. **

**Echo: Yeah, Resist, that's my job. But guess what guys! **

**Oni, Green, Arthur, Patch, Mia: What? **

**Echo: We have a present for the audience! **

**Resist: (announcer voice) What is the only thing better than a Clone Wars chapter from Resist and Echo? TWO chapters from Resist and Echo**

**Arthur: The only thing worse than your singing is your announcer voice. **

**(Everyone except Arthur): Woooooooowwwww**

**Echo: Anyways! We hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Please R&amp;R….wait, who wants to say the honors? **

**Resist: I also hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, except Arthur. Well, Echo and I don't own Star Wars or it's characters, so on to the show….**

**News Announcer: We interrupt your regularly scheduled Resist and Echo story to bring you this….The story known as **_**Found**_**, will be getting a new name. This new name is called **_**The Journey**_**. The new name will not take effect until the posting of Chapter 14. Now back to the story…..**

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

The Training

"_If you end your training now - if you choose the quick and easy path as Vader did - you will become an agent of evil. "_

Three weeks after the rescue of Jedi Master Oni Kao, the group has found themselves in a rare moment of _Akul_ has been their home away from home for the past three weeks. Mainly, their mission was to patrol the Abregado system, which has been relatively quiet since the Malevolence was destroyed.

Arthur sat on the bed in his quarters meditating. His master also sat in her own quarters doing the same. It was a scheduled routine thing for them to separate to their own quarters for maximum silence. Luckily for them, the cruiser they were on offered plenty of that.

The Padawan's mind began to go over the most recent events in his life; his master being kidnapped from under his nose, because he hesitated to follow her during their previous mission; and Mia returning to help with the rescue, only to leave a few weeks later and continue her own thing afterwards, even after they had become a couple.

Though they did get his master back, Arthur couldn't help but wonder what would've happened had they found her sooner. Sure, Oni was a strong woman, but maybe she might not have suffered as much as she did. Kao told her Padawan that she was fine, but he still harbored the thought that he put her in that situation.

He continued to allow his frustration to take over in his mind. Flashbacks of him losing to Grievous and the cyborg taking his lightsaber filled his thoughts. Arthur lost it there and allowed the dark side to flow through him. With his eyes still closed, he stood up and began to thrash around the room.

Arthur finally opened his eyes and saw the mess and immediately understood what had happened. He grunted as he slowly stood up to take in his run with the dark side. Looking down to search for injuries, he found none; at least, until he felt a trickle down his face.

As he touched his head, he felt a sticky substance. Anger built up after he glanced down at his hand. Arthur, who now looked a little roughed up, headed for his master's room. Without knocking, he barged in and waited her reaction.

As usual, Oni calmly opened her eyes. Staying still in her meditative position, she scrutinized her apprentice. "Did you hit your head?"

Arthur had his head down and the most serious facial expression he ever wore in his life, and not daring to look at her, and second guessing if he should tell her what happened. He never even looked in her direction and just stayed silent, waiting for Oni to figure out why he came here.

"You should have Patch look at that," she said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. After a few moments of silence, she peeked from one eye. "Are you-"

Taking in his irritated look, Kao grunted. "Arthur...again?!"

"Master, it's…..it's growing stronger….p-p-please help me" Arthur spoke so softly that Kao could barely hear him. Tears began to fall as he dropped to his knees begging his master's help, "I can't take it anymore" sobbed Arthur.

The golden brown eyes of Master Kao widened for a mere moment as she stood up. "Arthur, I know this is very frustrating for you," she started, "It will take awhile before you learn to control it. Right now, you need to block out whatever is triggering your meltdowns." She stepped towards Arthur and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Or you can vent and let it out that way. Tell me, what's causing your bursts of anger?"

"It's everything that has happened to me. My parents are gone and I'm alone; my lightsaber is probably being used by Grievous to cut down other jedi; and I was too slow in saving you, causing you to go through more than what you should have. I am suppose to honor my parents by doing this. They always told me stories about the jedi, and how they save many people, but how can I do that if I can't even save myself?" by the time Arthur had finished his venting, he was curled up in a ball on his master's bed, tears still leaking from his eyes.

Oni took a deep breath and mumbled something under her breath. "Arthur, listen to me."

Arthur turned to look at his master straight in the eyes for the first time since entering her room. He immediately started to cool down and he gave her his undivided attention. She acknowledged this and turned towards the other side of the room, focusing there. "Arthur, the life of a Jedi is _never_ easy. We all have our demons. We all have fears and dreams and we _all_ make mistakes. We break rules and promises. Jedi are not perfect, but we try to be, because that's who we are. We are whatever the Republic or the galaxy needs us to be. Do you understand that?"

"I guess so master, I think that is what my parents were trying to teach me before…...certain events happened" replied Arthur, lowering his head as the tears reappeared on his face. He felt weak and vulnerable in front of his master, and was trying his best to hold back the waterworks.

"Master Yoda was very vague in his explanation of your past," Oni sighed, "What happened to them? Perhaps we can find closure for you."

"I don't want to talk about it" replied Arthur, who sat up from his master's bed and looked in the opposite direction of his master, so his back was toward her. Kao narrowed her bright eyes at him. After shrugging, she stood up and cleared her throat. "Okay," she said calmly, not giving away the frustration she felt, and began walking out of the room.

"They died in the middle of the street" replied Arthur, not moving.

Oni gave a slight hum to this in contemplation. "How?"

Arthur walked back to the bed and sat down and made contact with his master's eyes with his own watered ones. "Gang violence. A gang had complete control over the town, and no one had the courage to stand up to them, except my parents. During one of the gang's raids, my parents went out to defend the town, and were made a public example of what happened when people crossed them." By the time Arthur was finished with his story, he had let the tears return to his face and looked at his master with his glassy and watered eyes, struggling not to lose control of his feelings and tap into the dark side.

"I never knew my own parents," the Jedi Master said, "But I have a feeling that the general in charge of our next mission will know how you feel."

"Mission? Where?" asked Arthur.

Kao was about to press the button to open the door but stopped. "Local gang activities in a nearby system has caught the Republic's attention." She turned to look at Arthur. "We're headed to Delphon."

Arthur got off the bed and walked to the door, "I'm not going" replied Arthur. He made to leave but felt an arm on his shoulder. Oni gave him a serious glare and then rested her hands on the hilts of her lightsabers. "You're going to Delphon with me to meet up with the Republic cruiser stationed there. The Jedi Master there is more experienced with handling her darkness. I myself have never experienced these outbursts, thus I am not a suitable teacher in this situation."

"I don't care if it was Master Yoda waiting for us. I am not going _back _to Delphon to be handed over to another master" said Arthur with anger behind his voice, but there were other emotions involved as well.

"This wasn't _my_ decision," Oni snapped, "Either way, you are going to Delphon. If you want to learn how to control your emotions and keep her safe, then you'll cooperate."

"Then drop me off somewhere and leave cause I'm not going back….Wait, keep who safe?" asked Arthur. Kao scoffed, "How naive do you think I am? Of course I know how you feel about Mia."

"Yeah well I know about you and Green, and I'm still not going back. It's better if I don't see Mia again, so that I don't disappoint her in the end" replied Arthur with strong emotion in his voice. Kao scoffed for the second time, "Take a woman's point of view: that is not a wise decision at all. Mia won't take no for an answer, I can tell. You care about her, I get that. But driving her away is the worst pain you could inflict. Mia would want you to do this."

Arthur hated to admit it to himself, but she was right. "There are too many dark memories there. I can't go back, it's one of the reasons why I left to join the republic in the first place," replied Arthur. Oni released her grip on her Padawan's shoulder and pinched the bridge of her nose. "The only thing I can tell you is to think about Mia."

"You'll be right beside me, right?" asked Arthur, who was giving in to Oni's demand of him going back to this dreaded planet.

Oni lowered her hand and sighed. "You and Master Tano will be keeping an eye up in orbit while Green and I go along with a few of Tano's commandos to acquire as much information on the gang as possible. When we're done, the two of you will be joining us for an assault."

"If it's the gang I'm thinking about, you may not want me on that assault" replied Arthur, thinking of how that said gang executed his parents. "I guess I have no choice though," continued Arthur, who grew a slight smirk on his face. Arthur held out his fists, like he was being cuffed, "Take me to this master" he said, in his usual sarcasm.

The Jedi Master couldn't help but smile. "Green has a pair of cuffs I can borrow, c'mon." Pushing the button to open the door, Kao gestured for Arthur to leave first. Arthur shook his head and also gestured for his master, "Ladies first" he replied.

"Such a gentleman," Oni said with humor, walking out. As she remembered something, she stopped. "Oh, and Master Tano doesn't do well with sarcasm. Humor, yes. She works with ARCs afterall."

Arthur chuckled, "Well this should be fun then" replied Arthur who waited for his master to take the lead again. "And just for the record, I didn't drive Mia away, she is the one that left to do who knows what after the mission" replied Arthur.

"We're like that," Oni chuckled as she picked up the pace, "Get used to it." Arthur let out a laugh, which caused Oni to stop once again, and Arthur bumped into her back. "Sorry, when I ran off in Ilum to join Green, after I told you my parents died, he said women were like that, don't tell him I said that though, he told me not to tell you" chuckled Arthur.

Kao smirked as she continued walking, "Really? Hm, I'll consider that the next time he and I talk alone." Arthur allowed a smile to form on his face, but then it went away and he became a little nervous for his life, "Just don't mention me, or I'll have to run for my life" replied Arthur.

"You're still in trouble for talking back to him."

Arthur just rolled his eyes, "What kind of punishment are we talking here?" he asked, as they continued walking through the ship. "Lightsaber training for twelve hours," she replied calmly, "And physical training with the ARCs. Trust me, you'll never back talk him after that."

Arthur slightly cringed at the mention of all the extra hours of training, "Sounds like I'll just be better than I was before" replied Arthur, giving a smirk to hide his disdain for the extra training. "That's what you're saying now," Oni chuckled. Hopefully this little lesson will teach Arthur the proper response to a commanding officer.

Arthur just shook his head and then gave his master a questioning look, "Who is this Jedi we are meeting?" asked Arthur, who became very curious about who was joining them on this mission to his least favorite planet in the galaxy.

"Her name is Aloke Tano," Kao started, obviously reluctant to speak of said Jedi Master. "She is Kulani's twin sister. I didn't talk to her much, but I know that her deep-seeded hatred of me might affect this next mission: that is why I am sending you in my place. Her commander, ARC Alpha John insisted on it. If I were you, I'd make friends with him first. When it comes to Aloke, you need all the allies you can get to survive her wrath."

Arthur looked puzzled, "So I am to stay on her ship, while you scout for the gang, and while you do that, I'm supposed to learn how to control the dark side from her? I think she'll treat me worse than the ARC troopers" said Arthur, chuckling at the end.

"Yes, you will be our eyes and ears," Oni corrected, "She'll be more focused on the mission and your training I hope, but John should be there to mediate anything. Aloke is very close to Master Yoda, and would never disobey an order from him."

"I don't know master, You sure I can't just skip this one? I'd prefer to go to Mustafar then come back to this poor excuse for a planet" came Arthur's slightly mumbled voice.

Oni sighed, stopping to adjust one of her gloves. After completing her task, she rested her hands on the golden hilts of her lightsabers as usual. "Yes, Padawan. I am sure that you are _not_ going to skip this one. I also do not wish to disobey my former mentor's orders. I may not have the best relationship with Aloke, but I must put that aside for the good of the people on Delphon. You need to do the same, young one."

Arthur sighed and clenched his fists, fighting to suppress his demons, "I will master" replied Arthur, though he knew it would be a struggle. "Good," Oni gave a smile and ran her hands through her unusually unkempt golden brown hair. "Now let's go eat something before we arrive on Delphon; maybe if you behave in front of Commander Green I'll ease up on your punishment." She gestured with her hand for her Padawan to go. "Actually, I'll meet you there. First, I need to go take care of something. Please don't get lost."

Arthur tried to study his master's facial expression, but as usual it gave off no emotion. He was curious about the business his master had to take care of, and he decided to follow her. Arthur started to walk toward the mess hall, as his master walked in the other direction. Arthur rounded a corner and found a vent and decided to follow his master through the vent. Using the force, he pulled the vent cover off and jumped up into the vent system and followed his master without being seen.

Oni was so mentally pulled by this task of her that she did not even hear Arthur crawling above her. All she was thinking about was reaching the room where _he_ was. "Green, you wouldn't happen to be in your quarters would you?" she asked after bringing her comlink towards her face.

Arthur almost immediately knew what was about to happen and was debating in his head whether or not to turn around. His master was lucky. Green was always in close proximity to her, unless on missions, and they never really had to worry about distances or what the other was up to for long periods of time. Arthur immediately started thinking about Mia, and flooding his brain with questions.

"_Why, yes ma'am, I am. Is there a problem?"_ the commander replied rather enthusiastically. Oni rolled her eyes in amusement, "Our chat better be quick because we're due in the mess hall where Arthur is waiting for us." The clone snickered over the line. _"Of course. Well, I guess a brief hug will do."_

Arthur was starting to find himself getting angry and losing control of his handle on his emotions and decided that it was time to leave and head to the mess. He did a 360 in the vent and came back out near the mess hall. He entered, got his food and sat down at a table by himself and mulled over his long distance relationship.

It was only about six or so minutes before a brighter Master Kao and a cheered up Commander Green arrived. They walked through the doors and looked around for the apprentice. Upon spotting him all by himself, sulking, the two headed over. Oni slowed up as she reached the young Jedi, while Green sat down next to him, clasping a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, kid, what's up?"

Arthur glanced over with his eyes over toward Green and then went back to playing with his food in mere seconds, which he didn't touch yet. "Nothing" mumbled Arthur. Oni sighed and gave Green a look that said "we'll talk to him later". "Okay," Green said to Arthur, though looking at Kao, "Well I hope you're ready to meet General Tano."

Arthur got up from the table and left his untouched tray of food, "Yeah" is all Arthur said before getting up and walking off. Oni sat down across from Green, watching her Padawan saunter off. It was probably best to leave him be for the moment. "That was interesting," the woman said sarcastically.

"I don't even think he touched the food. Do you know what's up with him?" asked the commander in a puzzling tone. "He had an encounter with the Dark Side earlier today," Oni replied, still looking off in the direction Arthur had gone, "But he calmed down after that."

"Obviously not that then. Anything else of importance to him, that he might have mention to you, while the two of you were meditating, or whatever you Jedi do?" asked the curious commando. Kao gave him a smug look, "We Jedi do more than meditate. Either way, I'm not sure why he would spontaneously sulk like this."

"What all did he talk about or mention to you?" asked Green, still very curious as to why Arthur was acting like this. "Well, we discussed the mission, and," Oni paused, "Oh."

"What?" asked Green, who couldn't hide his excitement on the situation. He really wanted to help the kid that he had grown to respect. "Mia," Oni covered her face with her hands and sighed in frustration.

"What about Mia?" asked Green, failing to grasp Oni's realization. Kao peeked out at him with narrowed amber eyes. "Really?"

"I think I got the jist, but care to elaborate?" asked Green with a raised eyebrow. "He's in love with her," Oni said, putting her hands back in her lap. "And I think he might have figured out that I was going to your quarters before meeting him here."

"This sounds like one of those 'Master and Padawan talks' coming up. You should talk to him, we both can't go since it would probably just get him more angry" supplied the clone commander. Oni grunted, "I know, but I'm not exactly the _best_ when it comes to talking about those things. Remember, when I grew up, I only talked to Jedi Masters or Fisto: I never learned about these things."

"That is probably one of the reasons Yoda assigned you a padawan" said Green, trying to give the confidence Oni needs to talk to her padawan. "I know, I know," Oni sighed, "Ugh, I don't know how Jedi Masters function like this. Kit had the _easiest_ time with Aloke, and she's just like Arthur."

Green spotted some clones getting into a brawl, and got up to go stop it before it escalated any further, "Well I better stop this fight, and you should go talk to Arthur _master_" said Green, adding some emphases to the last word. Kao rolled her eyes before brushing off her gold and white armor. Standing up, she started to make her way towards the door. The hardly touched food tray caught the Jedi Master's eye.

With a sigh in contempt, Oni picked up the tray and continued walking.

**(Gym, aboard the Akul)**

Arthur needed to clear his mind, after leaving his master and Green back in the mess hall. Arthur at first was walking back to his quarters, but caught a glimpse of the empty gym and decided to work on his lightsaber skills, that he hadn't practiced in a couple days. Arthur, searching for a challenge and started the simulator at level 9 and began his training…

Well into the level, Arthur was now surrounded by different types of droids; regular droids, super battle droids, and commando droids, unaware of his master watching him from behind him.

Arthur made quick work of the regular droids and super battle droids. Arthur then began to deflect incoming blasts from the commando droids, but they were more agile and harder to hit with the deflected blasts from Arthur's blade. Arthur began to weaken from all the time devoted to taking out the droids, and began to take blasts in his chest and back.

"You're using the wrong form for level 9 commando droids."

The voice of his master from behind him took him by surprise and he lost his concentration again, and took another volley of fire in the chest and back. "I'm fine" came the monotoned voice of Arthur. "Nine shots to the chest and back doesn't look fine to me, Arthur," Oni said with urgency, "We need to talk."

"It's fine, I can take the pain. No pain, no gain" replied Arthur, ignoring his masters mention of talking, which he didn't want to do at the moment, since he was doing the training to avoid it. Arthur stood up, and continued to block shots and began to attack the commandos with his blade, offlining some. Arthur went to cut at another, when the remaining droids shut down, and the training ended.

"Ahem," Kao cleared her throat from the other side of the room. She reset the program and had the droids return to their dormant positions. "When I said that we need to talk, it wasn't optional. Remember what my number one rule is?"

Arthur deactivated his lightsaber and clipped it back to his side, "I'm making it optional" replied Arthur, not moving from his spot, where seconds ago a commando droid stood inches in front of him.

"Would you like to go before the Council on terms of disobedience a second time, young one?" Kao asked calmly. Arthur, who was now obviously back to the state he was in at the mess hall, approached his master, and waited for her to speak. "You're thinking of her," Oni said as a statement rather than a question. She handed over the food tray in her hands, which Arthur took with a nod.

"Come again" replied Arthur, surprised by his master's bluntness. "Mia," Oni frowned, "Why is everyone being so ignorant today?" Arthur frowned up at his master and opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't get anything to come out. Kao just stood there, with a tranquil face. "I'm not oblivious Arthur. I know about your feelings for Mia. Even if Green hadn't told me I could have figured it out."

"I'm sorry master, I'll try and stay more focused and not let my mind wonder" replied Arthur. As much as he would like to focus on the here and now, he couldn't stop the thoughts of Mia that floated in and out of his head, no matter what he was doing. Arthur looked at his master with an apologetic face.

"I know the feeling Arthur," Oni sighed, "That's why I came here to talk to you." Arthur leaned up against the wall and looked his master in the eyes, "I really don't want to talk about it, plus I can see that you're uncomfortable with talking to me about this, so I'll save us both some trouble" came Arthur's monotoned and depressed voice.

"Not an option, Arthur," Oni said firmly, "As your mentor, I should be the one to go over these things." Arthur just admitted defeat with a sigh, "Fine, but there isn't much to tell, I'm heartbroken and it's hard to keep my emotions in check when I see you and Green together, which happens more than you think, even if it is just during a mission" admitted Arthur.

Kao's eyes widened and her head tilted as she tried to come up with some sort of explanation. "True, but…" Arthur allowed a smirk to form, "I thought you wanted to talk to me" smiled Arthur. "I did," Oni sent a glare, "I just didn't plan that far ahead. I guess Green and I can try to be less social around you. And you'll be away from us on your mission anyways."

Arthur shook his head at his master in disagreement. "Don't stop seeing Green cause of me, I will do better in trying to stay focused" replied Arthur, who allowed his eyes to glance at the droids, who minutes ago kicked his butt cause he wasn't focused. Oni lightly facepalmed and mumbled, "Ugh, I'm going to go ask another Master how to do this."

Arthur laughed, "You're doing fine master," Arthur glanced over at the droids again and unclipped his lightsaber, "Mind showing me how to properly do level 9?" asked Arthur. "I don't know if I'm focused enough myself, Arthur," Kao sighed, "And I didn't know how much responsibility came with training a Padawan. Right now I'm very stressed and we're almost out of hyperspace. Perhaps another time." With that, the Jedi Master turned and walked slowly out of the gym, running a hand through her hair in a frustrated manner.

"It's fine master, I'll get it eventually" with that Arthur used the force and hit the training button and started level 9 over and continued to run it till he got it right.

**Resist: Thanks for reading and we hope you enjoy the second chapter.**

**Arthur: Wait, there is a second chapter?**

**Echo: We wrote a second chapter? **

**Oni: Oh my gosh, Echo, you are the co-author! Stay on target! **

**Echo: *sniffles* I'm sorry! *smiles* I hope that you guys enjoy this Christmas special! **

**Resist: Don't forget to drop some reviews for Echo and I before you guys go rip up your presents.**


	13. The Training Part II

**Resist: Well here is the start of the second chapter for the Christmas double feature, hope you guys enjoy. **

**Echo: Alright guys, you know the drill. Speaking of drill sergeant...John?**

**John: Sir, yes, sir. Resist and Echo do not own Star Wars or its characters. They also want to warn you that there is slight PG-13 material in this chapter. Carry on. **

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

The Training Part II

Oni Kao stared out the viewport of the _Akul_ as the clone in front of her counted down until they exited hyperspace. Her chin lifted up when the blue streaks disappeared and the luscious green planet of Delphon came into view. "Sir, we've arrived at Delphon," the clone said with a humorous tone that made the general snicker. "Not a very industrious planet, fortunately," she said.

"Sir?" the clone asked. Oni smiled at this before explaining. "I'm more of a nature lover, hence why I'm glad to be off that Coruscant." A grunt in amusement came from the man before Oni heard the sounds of footsteps behind her.

"Never thought I'd see this dust ball again" came a mumbled grunt from Arthur, who strode up beside his master, and looked at the planet out in the distance with hatred and anger. She sighed yet remained stoic. "Control your emotions, Padawan, we need you to be completely focused on the mission."

"Yeah," came the cold reply from Arthur. "Where is this master I'm suppose to meet?" asked Arthur, still staring out the viewport in disgust. Oni's golden eyes scanned the bright planet until she could see the faint outline of a Republic cruiser.

"The _Claw_ is stationed in orbit above the planet near the middle," Kao snorted, "I was expecting a whole fleet to be here. I guess Aloke is not as cautious as she once was."

"Time changes people master," replied Arthur, still on unfixing his glare at his former home planet, "I wasn't always part of a gang on Delphon" finished Arthur, who's face slightly contracted.

Oni nodded, "Take that as a positive, then. I just meant that I don't know what she's like anymore. It's been almost two years since I last spoke with her." The woman tapped her fingers against the hilts of her lightsabers before resting a hand on the back of the clone's chair. "Rye, I need you to inform General Tano that Arthur and I are taking a shuttle over to her ship."

"Yes, sir," Rye said crisply before typing in a message to the _Claw_. Oni took a deep breath before turning to Arthur. "Alright, let's head over to the hangar. Better to get this over with."

Arthur slightly turned to face his master and gestured with his hand to lead the way. He let his hands slump down to his sides and grasps his lightsaber, ready for what he got himself into this time.

**(**_**Akul**_** Hangar)**

Green turned from his conversation and looked to the approaching Jedi. Glancing back at the three clones he was speaking to, he gestured with his helmet towards the general. "Sorry, boys, we'll have to finish this later," he said before taking off, putting his bucket on. As Oni walked up to the shuttle ramp, the commander called out to her. "Room for three, General?" The female Jedi grasped onto the lift pole and turned to him.

"I'm not sure if that's the wisest thing, Commander," she looked from Green to Arthur, almost asking for his permission. A gloom look glossed over Kao's eyes as she waited for the Padawan to say something.

Arthur relinquished his spot beside Master Kao and wordlessly gestured for Green to take the spot. The clone marshal gave him a thankful nod and reached over to give Oni's shoulder a squeeze. "Let's get going," the Jedi Master said calmly, "We don't want the wrath of Aloke Tano upon us." Just as she began walking, Oni turned to Arthur, "Would you like to pilot this time?"

Arthur leaned up against the back wall of the elevator and shrugged his shoulders, but allowed a small smirk to appear on his face, "Your funerals, but I'm game."

"I'm not sure if _that_ was the wisest thing, general," Green said to Oni, who just rolled her eyes and began pushing the two onboard.

The three went through all preflight checks and began to make their way towards Aloke's ship, The Claw. Arthur docked their ship and began to make his way towards the exit. "Here we go" replied Arthur, quietly to himself as he double tapped his lightsaber.

Oni and Green, who were still sitting in the co-pilot chairs, turned to each other. "Does he seem a little too enthusiastic to you?" the commander asked, pointing a thumb in the Padawan's direction. Kao nodded, "It's scaring me."

"Me too," the clone said.

**(The bridge of the Claw)**

The Togruta general folded her hands behind her back as a clone reported in. "General, Kao's ship has docked and they're making their way to the bridge," he said from his station. The Jedi in front of him nodded in acknowledgement, "Good, make sure we have a welcoming party for our _guests_." The clone communications officer chuckled, "Commander John is already waiting for them in the hangar."

"Of course he is," Aloke rolled her eyes.

"General," an ARC trooper in gray armor, Elliot, approached her casually. "What is this Grand Master like?" Aloke scoffed and turned to smirk at her trooper. "She's a highly sophisticated Jedi Master who thinks herself above everyone else."

"Oh."

**(The Claw's Hangar)**

Arthur walked down the ramp and looked for the exit of the hangar and started to make his way over to the exit, leaving his master and clone commander comrades behind. Arthur, not completely paying attention, bumped into something and slightly stumbled backwards.

After regaining himself, Arthur noticed he bumped into an ARC Trooper, "Sorry about that, name's Arthur" he replied, extending his hand out to the trooper to shake. The man just eyed him for a moment before hesitantly shaking the outstretched hand.

"ARC Commander Alpha-C," he said, "But call me John."

"Um ok. John, I am here with my master and clone escort to meet with Master Aloke Tano for the mission on Delphon" replied Arthur.

John slipped on his helmet and continued to look at the kid as if he were speaking another language. "I know," he said, sounding slightly offended. Something elsewhere caught his attention and he brightened up, losing the look on his face.

Oni rested a hand on her Padawan's shoulder, giving him a scolding look. "Next time, please wait for us." Green held out his hand to John and beamed. "John, it's good to see you again." They grasped onto each other's forearms, a Mandalorian show of respect.

"It's been too long, brother," the ARC replied, "I hope the war has treated you well." Green laughed as he let go of his brother's arm, "That's crazy talk if I've ever heard it."

Arthur just stood silently watching and listening as his master and Green chit chatted and he slowly lost interest in their conversation and sneakily got out of his master's grip on his shoulder and made his way around the hangar as he waited for his master and Green to finish. Arthur just wanted to get in and get out and move as fast as hyperspace away from Delphon.

But his disappearing did not go unnoticed. Arthur, if he noticed his master's stare, didn't acknowledge it and patiently waited at the exit patiently. He wore an expression on his face that showed he was anxious, but there was also something deeper inside him.

The metal blast doors suddenly opened and a taller figure stood there. Her icy blue eyes scanned the hangar, spotting her commander, Green, and Oni. When her gaze traveled to Arthur, she squinted at him.

"Do you usually run off from your master?" she asked with a strict and scolding tone.

Arthur jumped at the sound of the voice. He turned to look at the taller woman, "No, I'm waiting for them to finish," replied Arthur, slightly stuttering.

Aloke Tano strode over to the Padawan with her hands on her hips. The red and white-skinned Togruta with tall, sharp montrals and a long, thick lekku tilted her head, the gold beads of her headdress clinking. "Well," she started, cocking a white brow, "Your Master never seemed to keep a leash on her apprentices anyways. Your name?" She folded her red arms that were tattooed with white, claw-like markings, her forearms protected by brown and black material with a clone gauntlet.

Arthur narrowed his eyes at the woman standing before him and took a step closer to her, "Why would I tell you? My master is one of the greatest Jedi to ever live," Arthur folded his arms as well to match the woman standing before him and gave an even more stern look, if that was possible.

Aforementioned Jedi Master glanced around John when she heard her Padawan's words. _That'll teach Aloke._

Tano unfolded her arms and rested her hands on her twin lightsabers, her fingers tapping the fancy hilts. "Oh really?" Aloke asked rhetorically, her sarcasm obvious, "I didn't know that. It must be amazing to be a Padawan to the only Jedi Master to ever get on the Council without earning it."

Oni flinched at this. _Yeah, she definitely still hates me. _

"If anything, you didn't earn your Jedi Knight status," retorted Arthur, who gripped his own lightsaber and kept his hard gaze on her, not flinching at her words. "Master Kao saved my life plenty of times, more than I can count" added Arthur. Kao failed to hold back a cough at the first part of his comment.

Aloke's eyes narrowed at Arthur. "I spent a _year_ in the wild without food or water and took a _bullet_ for my Master. At least he taught me proper manners and how to act in front of superiors, Padawan Perry." John turned around from the conversation and narrowed his eyes at Arthur.

He took a moment to analyze the rest of her. She was wearing all black except for the brown material on her arms and the dark brown leather of her boots. Her crop top revealed her strong muscles that she had built up during the Clone Wars, making her look just as intimidating as the men she worked with. She had a standard Jedi belt, in black of course, for equipment and rations that hung somewhat loosely around the top of her leggings which hugged her tightly.

"So you know my name, is that suppose to frighten me? I went through torture with Dooku, as did my master, and I almost froze to death in a temple used to find kyber crystals when my master saved me," Arthur fired off remark after remark at the Jedi Knight before him, doing his best to stand up for his master.

Aloke scoffed lightly and smiled. "Who do you think I am?"

John cracked his neck and excused himself from the group, stepping over to stand next to his general loyally. The clone looked intimidating with a shadow beard, the crisp, clean default clone hairstyle, piercing bright green eyes, and a jagged scar running down his right cheek. Not to mention he was also bigger than his brothers and was obviously wearing custom armor to fit his masculinity.

Arthur gave a quick glance to the ARC trooper, "What can't beat me by yourself, so you call in backup? I thought you were the 'superior'" Arthur added air quotes around the word superior and stood his ground.

John grasped onto Arthur's shoulder roughly and was about to say something before Aloke rested her hand against his chestpiece. They looked to each other and without a word, the clone let go of the Padawan, stepping back a few feet and his breathing slowed up a bit, calmed by the general. Aloke unlocked her gaze from his once he stopped moving and looked back at Arthur.

"I'm who they call when things go bad," Tano said calmly. She looked over at Oni and the two shared a brief nod. Turning back to Arthur, she narrowed her eyes. "And things _have_ gone bad."

Kao walked over to Tano, bowing her head in respect, the Togruta doing the same. "I cannot teach this boy," Aloke said, resting her hands on her hips, "He's too arrogant."

Arthur looked to the ground, "I'm only defending my master" he mumbled. Aloke's look did not change at all and she continued to seek an answer from her old friend. Oni sighed and put her arm out in front of Arthur, signaling for him to step down. "That is exactly why Yoda has instructed that I bring him to you," she said, "If Obi-Wan and I cannot contain his anger, then perhaps your skills as a Sentinel can."

This caused the Togruta's eyes to soften. She looked between the Master and apprentice, contemplating. Sighing, she turned to her commander and began speaking in her native tongue. He nodded and sent a reply back. When the clone was gone, Aloke looked to Arthur.

"Very well," she said, "I accept the responsibility of teaching him."

Arthur looked between the two jedi, "I'm not getting handed off to another Jedi am I? Cause if that is the case, my home planet is right there and I'll just leave" said Arthur, very seriously.

Oni rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head. "Not this again."

Aloke laughed, "I would never consider training a Padawan whilst dealing in _covert_ special tactics missions; that would be suicide. I might as well pull a rookie from the 501st, hand him a sniper rifle and a set of camo armor and send him to Hoth against a fleet of vulture droids."

Green raised a brow at her words and tilted his head in confusion. The Togruta looked back at him with a smirk, "Exactly."

"So when do I start this training then?" asked Arthur. Tano snickered and glanced at Kao, "You mentioned punishment the last time we spoke?"

Oni smiled down at her Padawan. "What's the longest you've run for, Arthur?"

Arthur gave her a glance, or more like a plea, and then looked to Aloke, "Couple miles, not much of a runner, though I did seem to run and rescue my master from Dooku" Arthur added that last part with a smirk.

Aloke couldn't contain a sinister laugh in amusement. "On this ship, my men run 20 miles a week in a training session, so I hope you brought some running shoes. Oh, and I hope you're not allergic to lots of situps, pushups, and weight lifting." Oni smiled and patted Arthur's shoulders, "I should send you here more often; maybe it'll teach you to not talk back to your _superiors_."

Arthur smirked, "Superiors or seniors? I didn't catch the last part" replied Arthur. Arthur then turned to Aloke, "Shall we start? Sounds too late to leave and hide on my _home planet_," Arthur said the last two words with hatred, but didn't mean to.

"That arrogance is going to be gone by the time I'm back, right?" Oni asked with a cocked brow at Aloke. The Togruta shrugged and gestured towards Arthur, "Yeah, pretty much. You'll be lucky if anything is left of him when the ARCs are done with him."

Arthur's smirk was gone from his face, "ARC training sounds great, but what about dark side training?" asked Arthur, with a worried expression after mentioning the dark side.

"Oh that'll come later," Aloke said casually, "The training works better when you're weak and vulnerable."

Arthur noded, looking slightly worried about being weak and vulnerable for the Jedi training, "So when does my ARC training start then?"

**(ARC training with John and Arthur)**

"You guys do this kind of training everyday?" panted Arthur to John, pain in his eyes. The ARC commander laughed as he continued running alongside the Padawan. Dozens of his conditioned men ran past them and gave them both odd looks.

"Not every day," John said, "The days we don't we do combat training."

Arthur rolled his eyes and groaned, trying to catch up with everyone. Only seconds later did he realize that his side was cramping. The Jedi Padawan stopped and put his hands on his head, breathing in and out. "I don't know how you guys do this."

"Serves you right for talking back to The Guardian, kid," the clone laughed and stopped as well. He was barely breaking a sweat, and had a smirk plastered on his face. Handing his water to Arthur, he patted his shoulder.

"Uh, the what?" he asked before taking a sip from the bottle.

"There's this Jedi prophecy thing," John waved his hand to signal his inability to comprehend the Jedi ways, "Apparently she's this powerful Jedi that will save the galaxy from the Chosen One or something like that."

"Really? I never heard that prophecy before, maybe Master Kao has heard of it" replied Arthur. Arthur, with his hands on his knees, bent down, and was breathing heavily. "Sorry about earlier, I was only sticking up for my master. We've been through a lot lately and we didn't really start out on the friendliest of terms" apologized Arthur, still panting in-between his words.

"I know how that feels," John chuckled and rolled his eyes, "General Tano and I had the same troubles. But she and I are a team and we'd do anything to protect one another. I can see that you and General Kao are under the same terms?"

"Yeah, it was rough and I wanted to quit, but I'm doing this for my parents, who were killed on Delphon, my home planet" Arthur said, as his breathing became more calm. "I had to reconstruct another lightsaber and got stuck in a cave and was close to freezing to death and I thought my master would leave me because of all the tension we had, but she rescued me and I've been trying to prove myself to her ever since".

Arthur found his energy again and began to continue his run till it was time for his dark side training with Master Tano.

**-This Time Skip is brought to you by the story Destiny by Darth Echo -**

The Togruta held back her laughter as the very weak and tired Padawan walked into the observatory. She had decided to pick this room of all others mainly because the view of Delphon was so prominent that Arthur would be distracted Master Kao had informed her of Arthur's connection to the planet and what happened to his family.

"Over here," Aloke said as she sat down cross-legged in front of the viewport. She closed her eyes and let the Force flow through her. The woman could already feel Arthur's strong Force signature filled with hatred and lust for revenge. However, she remained calm; pushing him past his breaking point will come soon enough.

Arthur tried to remain calm when he walked into the room, but as soon as he saw Master Tano sitting cross legged and tuning into the force, he started to feel nervous, especially when he felt her feel his presence.

Arthur decided to say nothing and just casually walked up in front of Aloke and sat cross legged and began to do the same thing, with steady breaths.

Tano peeked out from one eye and scoffed before closing it again. "You lack discipline, young one. Your master is unable to control the darkness rising in you. Your arrogance only increases her struggles. Had you not been selfish, she wouldn't have gotten cut by the ice wall on Illum."

Arthur clenched his fists and was about to lash out, but was able to calm himself at the moment. He let out a deep breath and spoke, "Yes master, I know my rudeness and lack of respect toward Master Kao at the beginning caused many problems. Not only for me and her, but the entire team. I realize that now and I know I haven't been the best student for her and she deserves better. I know I'm not an easy student, that is why I am here" proclaimed Arthur, who felt somewhat better after letting all that out.

Tano's brows raised in praise. "Good," she paused, "But your parents wouldn't be proud of your actions, now would they?"

Arthur lost it and stood straight up, faster than V-19 starfighter. Using the force, Arthur through his hands out in front of him, pushing Aloke up against the wall, "Say it again! I dare you!" yelled Arthur, not letting Aloke down from the wall.

The female Togruta shrugged it off. She saw the burst coming and merely used the Force to protect her from injury. "There it is," she mumbled to herself with a smirk. Getting up, she lifted her hand. Suddenly, Arthur was floating in the air. "Just try to do that again, I dare you," she said sweetly. She knew that having him in a strong Force bubble would prevent him from using his powers and would infuriate him to the point of exhaustion.

Arthur, at first, tried punching at the bubble, which obviously didn't work. He then realized that she was controlling the bubble and huddled his body together as tightly as he could and then in one fluent motion, he outstretched his arms to either side of him, which was enough of a force push to have the bubble explode around him.

Arthur then eyed up Aloke with much hate and anger. Arthur's eyes were now yellow and he looked like he was burning with rage. He then did something that would have gotten any Jedi killed on the spot if this wasn't training. He outstretched one arm very quickly and levitated Aloke off the ground. Her hands at first went immediately to her neck to try and pull at invisible hands, "Do NOT mention my parents!" screamed Arthur. The giant view he got of Delphon didn't help matters either.

Tano flinched and gagged a couple times, but prevailed. She loosened his grip just enough so she could speak words. "How would Mia approve of your actions? Would she ever be with you knowing you murdered a fellow Jedi?"

Arthur immediately calmed and fell on his back, as Aloke dropped to the floor. They both were breathing heavy and Arthur looked at Aloke, with fear of what she was going to do to him. The yellow in his eyes faded away, allowing his normal green ones to reform. As soon as Aloke made eye contact with him, he back peddled as far back as he could till his back hit the wall and gazed at the accomplished master in fear and terror.

She rubbed her sore neck for a few moments before giving him a stern look. "It takes practice but you can fight the darkness within you," said Aloke, "And learn to send it elsewhere. I admit it will be difficult to teach an older Padawan, but I can manage." She smiled encouragingly. "Who do you think I am?" she asked for the second time since they've met.

Arthur, still looking at her in fear, tried to make himself sound calm, but it was obvious he was afraid when he actually spoke in a somewhat higher pitched voice, "Your….who they...call when things….get bad…...and it's bad" replied Arthur, remembering their earlier encounter.

Aloke nodded her thanks and lifted her wrist so that she could speak through her commlink. "I can see that you are finished for now. We'll resume the lessons tomorrow morning," she said, "I'll have my commander escort you to your temporary quarters."

Arthur slowly got up, still keeping his eyes locked on Aloke for any incoming blows. His back never left the wall when he got up, or when he made his way to the door. As he was about to leave, he heard a clearing of a throat and he turned around to Aloke.

"You're welcome, Padawan," Aloke said, "Get some good rest for tomorrow. Goodnight."

Arthur nodded and left the room and started to walk the halls of _The Claw_ till he found Aloke's commander, who was making his way toward him. Arthur was still in a state of shock from what he did to Aloke to speak so he just nodded his head for a response.

"Ha!" John said as soon as he saw the Padawan's face, "That'll teach ya to behave." He shook his head and gestured in the direction of the quarters. "C'mon, we'll stop by the mess hall first and get some food in you. Wouldn't want to have you throwing up tomorrow. Aloke will make us clean it up."

Arthur allowed a smile on his face at the last bit John said, but it quickly vanished and he shook his head. "I'm not hungry. Why do I even have the force? All I do is hurt people I'm around" asked Arthur, staring at his hands as he rotated them.

"Because you were meant to have it, I guess," John shrugged, "I learned long ago that there's no figuring out the ways of the Force. I got my butt kicked by Tano once and that's all it took to put me in my place." The clone laughed and shook his head. "Trust me, you'll never think twice about talking back or hurting someone ever again."

The commander sighed and turned to see Arthur's distraught face. "I was a lot like you when I first started working with Aloke," he said, hoping the young man was listening.

Arthur glanced at him before turning his vision back in front of him, "I don't think you ever force choked Aloke and then look at her with fear and terror in your eyes" replied Arthur. John's eyes blazed with fury. He grasped onto Arthur's shoulder and shook him. "You. Did. WHAT?!" he dared him to repeat the words.

Arthur used all his might and pushed John's arms off his shoulders and gave a serious glare, "I. Force. Choked. Aloke!" he said in his face before backing off a bit, "There happy? I'm not proud of it but it happened. I'm going to the gym, don't even think about following me" replied Arthur before he hurried off.'

**(Observatory) **

John stepped into the observatory, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. He noticed Aloke sitting in deep meditation and was hesitant to stir her. "Uh, General?" he asked first, looking around the room to see if anyone else was there. When he saw that it was all clear save for him and her, he marched up to her.

"Aloke," he poked her leg with his boot. She immediately woke up and looked around frantically. When her icy blue eyes settled upon his green ones, she raised a brow. "What is it, John?" she asked kindly. He knelt down and rubbed the back of his neck again. "You're gonna be really angry, but, uh," John stuttered as he tried to avoid eye contact with the woman.

Tano grasped onto his chin and made him look at her. "What happened?"

"Arthur-"

"_SIR!"_ a clone's voice screamed through John's commlink, _"The Padawan is tearing the gym apart!"_ Alpha-C cringed and dared to look at Aloke. Her eyes narrowed at him and her jaw clenched as she shook her head. "I'm going to kill you," she said as she stood up.

**(The gym) **

Arthur had lost control of himself as he continued to work through simulations and training non-stop. He had just finished up beating on several battle droid simulations and was now on a regular punching bag and was beating the snot out of it. He started off throwing regular punches, before he started using the force as well. As he continued to pound the living crap out of several punching bags, he was muttering to himself, "Stupid force," _WHAM! _"I should just quit," _WHAM! _"Almost killed Master Tano" _WHAM! _"John almost beats me up in the hall" _WHAM! _"I'm through with all of it!" Arthur throws in one more punch on the bag, _WHAM_, throwing all his might into it. The bag snapped off the chain that was holding it in place and skid across the floor till it came to a stop at Master Tano's feet. Master Tano had stood there watching the padawan long enough to hear everything he said.

John was beside her and mocked her body language with her arms folded over her chest. "Yep, just like me," the man said, looking at the bag. Aloke glanced at it for a mere moment before looking at Arthur. "Are you done?" she asked calmly.

"I'm done alright," replied Arthur coldly, "I'm done with this," he said as he gestured to everything around him, including Master Tano and John, "Just drop me on Delphon and I'll walk away" finished Arthur, who was breathing heavy from his episode at the gym.

"The door is that way," Aloke gestured behind her. Then a cold look came upon her face. "And when you walk out, shame will be cast upon your name forever. Everything you've worked towards will be worth nothing, and the people you care about will leave you. The darkness inside of you will consume you and your selfish ways will cause you to suffer for eternity. Is that what you want?" She stormed towards him, pointing at the exit. "If so, get out."

Arthur stood his ground, "Do you think I care anymore? The people I care about already left me. My parents are dead, Mia is off who knows where! I haven't accomplished anything or worked towards anything since becoming a Jedi! I lose myself in the dark side every day, I'm being trained by my _third _master, so you tell me if I worked for anything?" retorted Arthur, who sidestepped Master Tano and started to make his way toward the door.

John looked back and forth between them. "Are you actually going to let him go?" he asked in disbelief. Tano nodded her head and looked at the fleeing Padawan.

"If he wishes to become nothing, then that is his choice. Everything he's done for the Jedi Order will be erased and the Prophecy will never come true," the Togruta said loudly, knowing he'd take interest.

Arthur continued walking toward the door, but his pace slowed hoping to hear what she said, he was baffled that she actually said that he done things for the Order and he was pretty sure that he heard something about a prophecy.

"The Dark Side will win and the Jedi will be erased from the galaxy," Aloke said in a low, warning tone, "And he'll look back wondering what would have been if he hadn't turned his back and left." Whether or not if Arthur could see, Tano's eyes brimmed with actual tears. She sniffled and blinked them away. "If that's the life and future he wants, then he should go."

John ran a comforting hand up her back and squeezed her shoulder, bringing her close to his chest.

Arthur continued to walk towards the growing door, hearing Tano somewhat in a sad tone, made him debate his decision, but he decided to continue towards the door and walk away from his failure as a Jedi, till he thought he heard something that made him stop.

"Arthur, my son."

Arthur did a 360 and scanned for his mother, "Mother?" he asked, before deciding it was his mind playing tricks and continued slowly towards the door. He was sure he heard her voice.

"I'm here, Arthur."

Arthur stopped again, speaking loud enough for Aloke and John to hear this time, "Mother where are you? I don't see you" replied Arthur, looking frantically for any sign of his mother. Her Force signature was so strong it felt as though she were standing right in front of him.

"Listen to her, my son. She speaks the truth."

Arthur, fell to his knees, feeling her presence get even stronger with every time she spoke to him, "No she can't be, I have failed everyone so many times, it hurts to look at their faces and know that I have done nothing to help" replied Arthur, who was now forming tears in his eyes, which didn't go unnoticed by either John or Aloke.

John just stared at him as though he had grown a second head. Aloke leaned in towards him, eyes wide. "His mother is speaking to him," she said. The clone shook his head and blinked a couple times, "You sure he isn't going crazy? I can still shoot him." Tano glared at her commander and punched him in the gut not too harshly, though enough to wipe the look off his face.

"Sometimes we must live through the pain, Arthur. I taught you better than to turn your back on the people that need you," his mother said, chastising him.

Arthur looked up at the roof, "This pain, it eats away at me everyday, how do I fight it mother?" cried Arthur, "I can't live like this." The tears were now falling from his face and a small puddle was visible on the floor.

Aloke watched with genuine concern. She turned to say something to John, only to see him fumbling with his handcuffs. "JOHN!" she screeched, ripping them away and throwing them across the room. The clone didn't even flinch and just looked at her. "What?" he asked with a shrug.

"Good lord," she looked at him with a disgusted look before turning to Arthur, who was still talking to his mother's Force spirit.

"I wish I could take away your pain, honey," Arthur's mother continued, "But only Aloke can teach you how to get rid of it. Listen to her, learn from her. I love you, Arthur. This is goodbye for now."

Arthur, after hearing those last words, let the waterworks flow, "Mother please don't go, I can't lose you again. Please stay," cried Arthur, as he curled into a ball.

"We'll see each other again…" she said as her Force signature grew weaker and weaker.

Aloke's eyes were rimmed with fresh tears for Arthur's pain. She understood exactly what he was going through; it happened to her when her sister passed away.

John kept glancing between the two, utterly confused. When he saw the general crying, he shook his head. "Oh, c'mon, not you, too," he stated with wide eyes. Aloke growled and turned to him, "You know what? Sleep!" With a wave of her hand, the clone commander's eyes shut closed and he fell backwards into a deep sleep.

"Arthur," the Togruta called out to him.

Arthur didn't move, not a twitch, he just sat there looking at his small puddle of tears. He had flashbacked to his home when times were great and he and his mother and father used to do things together, before the gang violence took them away from him. Arthur didn't let his emotions control him this time, as he only focused on the good times.

"That's it," Aloke smiled, feeling the darkness surrounding him dissipate. "You're doing it, Arthur!" She looked around the gym as though she couldn't believe what she was witnessing. Aloke turned to smile at John, but found him still sleeping on the floor. She hissed as her eyes widened, "Okay, maybe I shouldn't have done that." Her thoughts snapped back to Arthur, who was fighting against the darkness, and winning.

Arthur kept on remembering, but he was then flooded again with the day his parents were killed. Darkness began to overtake him, but he fought back strongly. He was exhausted and starting to give in, when he opened his eyes slightly and looked at Aloke, "Help me" he said, only loud enough for her to hear.

"No," she shouted, "Don't think about it. Think about _her_, not them." She slowly inched towards and knelt down. Placing a hand on his shaking shoulder, she said firmly, yet quietly, "Think about Mia."

Arthur did as he was told and began to come out on top, before long Arthur was back in control and had his eyes open entirely and looked at Aloke, "Um, can I stay?" he asked shakily.

"Huh?" Aloke asked with a raised brow, "What do you mean?"

"Can I still stay and continue to learn how to get rid of this?" asked Arthur, who was on his way out the door before he talked with his mother.

"Of course," Aloke said, "That whole "you better leave" thing was a test. Besides, how were you going to get off the ship without my permission?"

"Whatever," replied Arthur, he scanned his surroundings and found John on the floor, "Uh, did I do that?" he asked Aloke pointing to a sleeping John. She smirked and chuckled. "He kept trying to convince me that you needed to be confined, so I put his mind to sleep. Um...can you help me get him to his quarters? Then maybe you and I can get you some food before curfew."

"Yeah" said a relieved Arthur, knowing that he didn't accidently knock someone out while talking to his mother. Arthur and Aloke went over to John and picked him up and carried him through the ship, receiving stares from clones who walked by them. They entered into John's quarters and they put him on his bead. Arthur happened to glance into John's closet and found a Jedi robe.

"Um, Aloke? Why does John have a Jedi robe in his closet?" asked Arthur pointing to it. "You're not together like Kao and Green are are you?" asked Arthur with a smirk on his face.

Aloke narrowed her eyes at Arthur before quirking an eyebrow. "Kao and Green are what?" she asked as her eyes widened. Arthur shook his head, "You didn't answer the question Master Tano" Arthur replied still wearing his smirk, "Stop changing the subject."

Tano folded her arms over her chest and shook her head. "I've never seen that robe before," she stated, "I don't even know where you are getting this absurd idea."

"C'mon Aloke," started Arthur, "That's plausible deniability, which is like Interrogation 101," replied Arthur, who then looked down and found one of Aloke's boots on the floor of the closet, "Care to explain this then?" asked Arthur, tossing the boot on the bed.

Aloke rolled her eyes and mumbled to herself. "Thank God I didn't leave anything else," she said quietly, hoping the Padawan didn't hear. "So you are admitting it then?" asked Arthur, who's smirk grew even wider. "I'll have to bag the robe and shoe as Exhibit A and Exhibit B," he then paused for effect, "There isn't an Exhibit C or D I need to worry about is there Aloke?" asked Arthur, who was trying to hold back a laugh.

"Don't look in the bathroom," Aloke said, pointing a thumb back at the door leading to said room. She looked up at the ceiling with one eye squinted in thought. Then she looked back down, "Or the dresser." Aloke glanced at John, who squirmed around and grasped onto one of the pillows. He brought it to his side and spooned it. This made the Padawan laugh and Tano cringe when he said her name.

"And don't visit my room at all," the Togruta finished with a smile, "Else you might have an exhibit for every letter in the alphabet."

"Too much information," stated Arthur. He then looked around the room and received a questionable glance from Tano, "Should I look for handcuffs, or will you go to the mess hall quietly?" he asked, slightly chuckling.

"Sorry," Aloke shrugged, "John's already used that trick on me."

"Ewww, let's leave now before I lose my appetite" replied Arthur, who made for the exit. Aloke just laughed. She took one last glance at John, made sure he was asleep, and then followed Arthur to the mess hall.

Arthur and Aloke had got their food and just sat down at the table. It was getting close to curfew on the ship, so the mess hall was mostly deserted except for a few clones, who were still eating. Arthur then looked up towards Aloke,

"How often does talking with people from your past happen?" asked Arthur, who just ran that part of the day over and over in his mind. He was actually talking to his mother and not imagining it.

"Let's see," Aloke looked off in thought, "For me, it's only happened a few times in my life. So far I've only seen my sister. For some people, it can happen all the time. But if you're constantly seeing people and hearing things, I'm gonna side with John and handcuff you to an ARC-170."

"Enough with the handcuffs please," replied Arthur, holding up his hands in front of him. Arthur out of the corner of his eye recognized that his Master was here and was coming towards them. She didn't look very happy. When she arrived she gave Arthur a quick glance then turned to Aloke, "We need to talk" she replied. Arthur made to get up from the table with Aloke, but Oni motioned for him to stay.

Aloke tilted her head at this but nonetheless nodded at Oni, getting up. "What did you find on the planet's surface?" asked the Togruta as the two women exited the mess hall, leaving Arthur behind.

Arthur's curiosity got the best of him and decided to follow them from a distant, being careful to mask his force signature, since they were both highly trained Jedi Masters. He stayed just in ear shot and heard them talking to each other.

"What I am about to tell you Aloke, must not be mentioned to Arthur," started Oni, who then paused and waited for an acknowledgement from Aloke. "Alright," the woman said, "Go ahead."

Oni took a deep breath and then decided to start explaining the situation, "The gang that killed Arthur's parents is still alive and well, and they have captured Mia and are interrogating her now as we speak," Oni explained to Aloke.

The Togruta lightly gasped, "You mean the bounty hunter that helped Perry interrogate Koth?"

"Yes, the very same," answered Oni, "she means a lot to him, and if anything were to happen to her it could destroy him," she replied with much concern for her padawan. Tano nodded, "Very well. I'll have John roundup our best to rescue her." She looked to take off before she stopped and narrowed her eyes, sensing something. With a smirk, she shook her head and continued on back to the commander's quarters.

Arthur followed Aloke to John's quarters, but before she could enter or open the door, Arthur cleared his throat to get her attention, and leaned against the wall.

"When were you going to tell me?" asked Arthur, very quietly and very calmly, trying to not lose his cool and remembering his conversation with his mother.

"I was going to let you "sneak on" the shuttle when we departed," the Togruta turned to him, "But I guess you want your master to know?" She said the last part with humor and sarcasm.

"Stop lying," snapped Arthur, "You promised her not to tell me, how could you do this? I remain aboard to study and learn from you, and find that you and Master Kao are keeping secrets from me and leaving me out to dry while my friends are being interrogated" scrutinized Arthur.

Aloke raised a white brow. "But I'm not lying. You see, I told her I wouldn't tell you. You just eavesdropped on our conversation like you weren't supposed to. All I know is, is that you want to save your girlfriend from the gang. And, I never promised your master that I wouldn't take you. So I see no wrong doings as you so angrily point out."

Arthur felt embarrassed and bowed his head to Aloke, "I'm sorry, please forgive me Master Tano" Arthur pleaded. Arthur was running scenario after scenario in his head. What if Mia was killed, or if she survived, or what kind of trouble he'll get in when his master finds out.

"Stop thinking like that!" Aloke shouted and then looked around. Next time she spoke softer; "Especially around other Jedi. You have not yet learned how to mask your emotions. Now, let's grab John and go."

"What about the handcuffs?" smirked Arthur as he pulled up along side Aloke. She turned to him with gritted teeth. "ARTHUR!"

**Resist: Well, Merry Christmas to all and we hope you enjoyed the double feature of chapters.**

**Echo: Dude, it's already Christmas? Geez. **

**John: Wait, is there Christmas in Star Wars? **

**Resist: You're the one that lives in Star Wars, so do you guys celebrate Christmas? If there isn't, there should be. Christmas is awesome!**

**Aloke: There's Christmas in the village I'm from, so yes, there is Christmas in Star Wars. **

**Echo: Okay, well we all hope you guys have a Merry Christmas and possibly get to see The Force Awakens! **

**Resist: I seeing it this weekend, so woohoo! Don't forget to drop some reviews on your guys' way out **


	14. The Training Part III

**Echo: Oh….hello there!**

**Resist: What is this story? I don't remember writing this.**

**Arthur: Maybe we should wait till after Easter to post the next chapter? Loser *points to Resist***

**Aloke: At least your story hasn't been posted and deleted three times…..*looks at Echo***

**Echo: *eyes turn red* What did you just say!? HONEY I BROUGHT YOU INTO THIS WORLD AND I CAN TAKE YOU OUT JUST AS EASY!**

**Resist: *fake writing on some paper* Arthur and Aloke become entrenched in a fierce battle, only for Arthur to stick his blade through Aloke's abdomen and for her to fall to the ground and bleed out**

**John: *watches scene with utter shock* Y-y-y-ooo-u….**

**Resist: *Lifts pencil off the paper and shows he was faking* I wouldn't do that to her…..yet**

***Arthur, Echo, Aloke's spirit, Green, Mia, and Oni watch as John tackles Resist***

**Oni: Well then….**

***screams of agony* **

**Green: Is anyone going to help him? **

**Resist *rolling on the floor with John* Yeah really?**

**Arthur: Nope. Payback**

**Resist: I...didn't….actually...kill….her *said between grunts of pain from getting hit***

**Aloke: TELL THAT TO MY SPARKLING BLUE BODY!**

**Resist: *able to grab a pen and the paper and starts writing while taking punches to the stomach* John rushes up to Aloke's body, but hears a faint heart beat, and starts to do CPR, and Aloke begins to recover very slowly. He then rushes her to the medical wing of a ship and she is able to recover in time.**

**John: *stops, narrowing his eyes at Resist* Mhmmm, keep going **

**Resist: *grabs the pen again* Aloke makes a shockingly fast recovery, not a slow one, and she and John decide to disappear and live happily ever after, where they forgive Resist for his shenanigans and he becomes best man at their wedding….The End**

**John: *stands up* I'm down for that**

**Resist: Sorry to John and Aloke, and now without anymore delays or fights hopefully, we hope you all enjoy the newest chapter**

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Arthur, along with Aloke, John and a handful of ARC troopers were making their descent onto the planet that laid beneath them. Arthur didn't move from his seat near the back of the shuttle as he gazed out the viewport at the planet that took everything from him. He began to let his mind wander to the day when his parents were murdered...no, executed...in the street for everyone to witness and to see what happens to people who try to stand up against the gang that terrorized the town he used to live in.

"Arthur," Aloke spoke without looking at the Padawan, "We could use your expertise in navigating the streets."

Arthur continued looking out the viewport, with his expression staying the same, "Not much to say, they are narrow and sometimes crowded, depending on the time," replied Arthur. Tano nodded, "Anything we should know about this troublesome gang?"

Arthur at the mention of the gang, zoned out and began to relive the terrible day when his parents died. Arthur was oblivious to everything that was going on around him, he didn't refocus on the matter at hand, till Aloke shook him.

The Togruta retracted her arm and sat forward in her seat. "Patience, young one," she soothed, "You'll see justice in time." John, who had been flying the shuttle, glanced over at the general before eyeing Arthur. He looked as if he was going to say something, but Aloke gave him a sharp scowl and he flickered his gaze back out the viewport.

"The leader of the gang is named Enkado. I used to know his second in command but Master Skywalker killed him when I had my last run in with them. They use speeders to get from their base to the towns they decide to raid," sayed Arthur, finally able to focus on the matter. Aloke looked around as she filed the information. "Do you know where they might have secret bases?"

Arthur had glanced toward her when he was speaking, but returned his attention to out the viewport, "I used to know, but they probably changed locations after the last Republic and Gang fight when Masters Kenobi and Skywalker were here."

"I agree," John sighed as he continued to pilot the shuttle, "But don't gangs usually go back to their old hideouts so others can't get to them?" Aloke raised a brow and turned to him. "And since when were you an expert on local crime organizations?" Her commander chuckled, "I do my research."

Arthur wanted to stay and chat amongst the Jedi Knight and her commander, but the pressure and the current situation he was in, was weighing down on him and decided to step out, "I uh, need some air," he replied and made his way out of the cockpit.

One clone who had been sitting in the chair next to Arthur, Reysh, spoke up. "Isn't that what they all say before they go...you know…." The ARC trooper swirled a finger in a circle next to his head while whistling.

Arthur found what he thought to be an empty room and sat down keeping to himself, not seeing a clone was also present, who had lieutenant markings on his armour. "Couldn't handle being in there for too long, eh kid?" the man spoke up as he inspected his slightly cracked visor.

Arthur jumped slightly at the man's voice, but quickly regained his composure and looked in the clone's direction, "Nah, just….um…dealing with some things is all" he said, "What's the name?" he asked the clone.

"I'm Lieutenant Vy," the man reached out a hand for Arthur to shake, "I already know who you are, sir."

Arthur shook the clone's hand, "Hopefully what you heard is good, but probably not," replied Arthur who had gotten up to take the seat across from where Vy was sitting. The Lieutenant chuckled, "I heard about the fights and such. You'd make an excellent ARC trooper, I'll tell ya that."

Arthur gave a slight smile at the comment, then it left, "Which fights? The ones with my master or the ones where I kick the Seppies butts," he asked, slightly worried. Vy sighed, "Both. I must say from an ARC's point of view, well done. But from the point of view as Green's brother, that was stupid. Trust me, John was like that and it didn't end up well for him."

"Trust me, I know where he's coming from. My master kicked both me and Green's butts at the same time. Anyway, what happened with John?" asked Arthur.

"Well," Vy chuckled and glanced around to make sure the cockpit door was closed, "John, er, Alpha is his real name. He was bred to be a tank, and thus, he never really scored brownie points in the emotion department. And General Tano is the complete opposite; they butted heads a lot and really brought down the moral of the team. She even beat him in a wrestling match and totally embarrassed him in front of the other ARCs. But after the whole virus thing on Naboo, they've changed drastically."

Arthur listened intently to the story about John and felt bad for the ARC commando, "Well it's been nice meeting you, I should probably get back. Delphon should be coming up soon," said Arthur as he got up from the table and shook Vy's hand before departing. He made his way back to the cockpit and sat back down in his seat next to Reysh and returned to looking out the viewport.

The atmosphere was tense and everyone was quiet. Aloke and Reysh looked slightly pale as though caught red handed. Arthur continued to look out the viewport at the dust ball of a planet as it got closer. He couldn't help but run through all his memories, mostly the bad ones as he waited for them to land.

Reysh cleared his throat and avoided eye contact with Arthur. Aloke noticed this and gave the ARC a stern glare, slicing at her throat with an index finger. Arthur felt them sending him glances and decided to speak, "Do you think I was born yesterday?" he asked.

"Yes," he heard John mumble. Aloke growled and slapped his shoulder enough to get him to cry out. "What?" he turned and glared at his partner, "I-"

Tano raised her hand to slap him again and then turned to glanced at Arthur. Arthur shot a scowl at both Aloke and John and made to leave the cockpit again, and wait somewhere else till they got to Delphon.

"Wait," Aloke held up a finger. Since she was looking away from him, John relaxed a bit and chuckled. "He asked a question." Tano's eyes blazed with fiery anger and she harshly smacked his helmet. "ALPHA-C!" Reysh practically giggled in his seat, "Oh, you are so whipped."

Arthur decided to make his way toward the exit some more as Aloke and John had it out. He hoped to make it out before they noticed, but this wasn't his mission. He barely made it a couple steps when he heard Aloke clear her throat. Arthur stopped, but didn't turn to look at her.

"Excuse my Commander's insubordination," the Togruta gave John one last glare before turning to Arthur, "We're about to land. I would appreciate it if you could guide us to Meksha's Diner. Do you know that place?"

Arthur still didn't turn to face her, "I know it" he said, rather coldly, since it was where he force choked the mugger who tried to rob him.

"Is it the type of place that only you and I could walk into?" asked Aloke, gesturing towards John and Reysh. If anyone recognized them as members of the GAR, the gang would know that they were coming.

"Yes master," Arthur replied, giving a glance to both John and Reysh. "The more people, the more of a chance that we would be spotted, though I might be enough to get us in trouble," Arthur finished, knowing that just his presence may tip off the gang.

"Well, Big A," Reysh sighed, "Looks like we'll be staying in the car."

Arthur laughed slightly at the comment, but his laugh quickly faded when he felt the ship land on the dust ball of a planet. He sighed heavily and made his way to the exit with Master Tano directly behind him. Arthur looked back at Master Tano, but continued walking, "Why did he call John Big A?" he asked.

Aloke laughed and flickered her gaze at the now closed cockpit doors. "He wanted something normal in his life. Most of his brothers called him Alpha. But he asked me to call him John. Soon the others followed suit."

"That's good. So any chance we can get in and get out and leave? I really don't want to be here," said Arthur, making sure that she got the point about his distastefulness of the planet and that he might do something that he would regret and wanted her to be able to snap him out of it, just in case if it happens.

The Togruta eyed him out and slightly scoffed. "Well," she started, "If you're not able to complete the mission…."

Arthur stopped and turned around and gave her a look, "I can finish the mission, but I can't promise Enkado will be alive at the end," replied Arthur very coldly.

Aloke's eyes widened only slightly for a moment, then returned to normal.

Aloke followed Arthur into Meksha's Diner and almost immediately realized why Arthur would come here first seeking information on Enkado. The place was built for bounty hunters, swindlers and outlaws, just like most cantinas she visited during Delta Force missions. She followed Arthur over to the bar where there were two empty seats, which they sat in. The Togruta looked around, being ever so observant as always, and noticed the chartreuse Rodian eyeing them out.

Tano internally smirked. _Meksha, I'm betting. _

The bartender came over to them, "Arthur, _mi bukee,_ what can I get you?" he asked the boy. Arthur just smiled at his old friend. "The usual" he answered, which got him a glare from Aloke. Arthur saw the look from the corner of his eye, "It's not what you think" he said with a smirk. She rolled her eyes and sighed nevertheless.

Meksha also asked Aloke when he returned to give Arthur his drink and she asked for a shot of Rodian spice, a drink she was familiar with. When he brought it back to her, she eyed it carefully before taking a sip.

Arthur then set his gaze on his friend, "Any news where Enkado might be? I have some… uh…. business to take care of," he replied, trying to sound calm. No one knew of him or Aloke being a Jedi, and that was how they wanted it, since no one would probably talk to one. They still had their lightsabers, but they were well hidden under their robes. In a place like this, being from the Republic was a death wish.

Meksha was about to answer, but someone from behind the two jedi, called out, "Arthur Perry," said the voice that Arthur knew pretty well. Aloke nonchalantly gave Arthur a questioning look, but Arthur dare not look at her. She caught onto the fact and continued sipping her drink. However, with a slight of hand, she pressed a button on her commlink, which signaled to Alpha that there was trouble. Within moments, ARCs would be all over the place with snipers.

Arthur got up from his seat and slowly turned around to face an 'old friend'. "Bartu, surprised to see you here, and with a blaster pointed at me. Thought we were friends," Arthur replied with little bits of sarcasm in his voice, and also sounding like he was 'hurt'. When Aloke heard the click of the blaster being pointed at Arthur, she turned in her chair and peeked out of the corner of her eye to get a better picture of what was happening.

"If we are friends, where are those four crates of DC-15S blasters that you were suppose to deliver for me?" Bartu asked still with his gun pointed directly at Arthur, who was thankful that he got the idea for him and Aloke to carry DC-17 blaster pistols, since they decided not to use their lightsabers unless it was absolutely necessary. Bartu then pointed his gun at Aloke, who was still seated, "I could just shoot your partner instead, since it would serve as a reminder not to double cross me"

Hearing this new piece of information, Aloke's eyes narrowed. So Arthur was previously dealing in the black market selling Republic weapons? With a very faint huff, she peeked out again at him. They will be having a very intense conversation after this whole ordeal is over.

Aloke saw the glint of Bartu's pistol aimed right at her temple and smirked. "Try me," she challenged, her fingers curling around her own pistol. Bartu signaled and six other men around the cantina stood up and drew their weapons, pointing them at the Togruta. Having not flinched at all, Aloke grabbed her glass and downed the rest of the alcohol. Licking her lips, Tano stood up and faced everyone with a smug smile.

Arthur did notice when Aloke hit the button on her comlink, and knew John was coming with Reysh, Vy and others, so he had his wheels turning inside his brain to think of a plan, till he got one.

Arthur took a couple steps forward, drawing the attention of the other men with blasters to him, "Bartu, there is no reason to kill us. I still have the crates you're looking for. We can both still come out of this with a profit," he said, glancing at Aloke for a short, brief time.

A crooked smile formed on Bartu, "What are we waiting for then? Lead on" he said, as he motioned for his men to escort them out. The six men in the bar converged on Arthur and Aloke and had their guns pointed at their backs, as they left the bar. All the while, the Togruta had a confident smirk on her face.

Exiting out the back, the group stopped a ways down an alley. The six men surrounded Arthur and Aloke, placing them back to back as they once again raised their pistols to aim at the two. The Jedi Knight glanced at the door with satisfaction upon noting that it was closed. With the Force, she locked it from the inside. Aloke was still smiling and holstered her weapon, taunting them.

"Woah fellas, shoot me or my partner here and no blasters for you" replied Arthur, he slowly moved his hand down to where he was hiding his lightsaber just to be on the safe side, but didn't plan on using it unless he had to.

"Or the privilege of seeing the light of day ever again," Aloke snorted, baring her sharp teeth in a smirk. Arthur looked at the six guys and then made contact with Bartu, "The crates are this way, but no crates if my lifeless body is on the ground, or my partner's" explained Arthur again. Bartu motioned with his hand, and the six men backed down some and Arthur took it as a sign to take Bartu to the crates. He started walking in the direction Aloke motioned towards, though he did not know what for. He then leaned over to Aloke, "I got a bad feeling about this" he said in a quiet tone.

Aloke glanced off somewhere, but it was too quick for him to see. Suddenly, she pulled Arthur by the arm down to the ground and activated one of her lightsabers. "What the -" Arthur got out as he made contact with the ground. He looked back up and saw the ARC troopers making quick work of the six men, who were Bartu's bodyguard. In mere seconds, all who was left was Bartu. Arthur got back up and made his way over to Bartu, who was being held at gunpoint by John, rather roughly. "So Bartu," spoke Arthur, as he put his elbow on Bartu's shoulder and used him as a rest, "Where is Enkado these days?"

"I don't know" Bartu explained, but he didn't have time to react, as he was force pushed hard into a wall of a nearby building by Arthur. Aloke scolded him in Togruti; and as Vy and Reysh tackled Bartu once more, she grabbed onto his shoulder and glared at him. "Jedi do not use terror as a weapon," she said through gritted teeth, looking back at Bartu.

"Well it works," replied Arthur, who then strode back over to where Reysh and Vy were holding Bartu. Arthur walked right through them, when they tried to stop him from coming any closer to Bartu, but it didn't work. Arthur pushed right past them and grabbed Bartu and held him up against the wall, he force pushed him into seconds earlier, "A rival gang leader, who doesn't keep track of what his main competition is doing?! I highly doubt it" replied Arthur, till Aloke came back up to pull him away again.

The Togruta was successful and ripped away the younger Jedi. She pushed him down onto the ground and signaled to John, who immediately pinned Arthur's hands behind his back and handcuffed him with Jedi-proof cuffs. Turning back to Bartu, she smirked, "I may not allow the Padawan to get to you, but I assure you, if you do not release the information to me in the next sixty seconds, I'll let my soldiers here make you talk. And trust me, their bite is worse than their bark."

Arthur was furious right now, he fought against John's grip against him, and anger was present all over him as he eyed Bartu, "Aghhhhh!" cried out Arthur, trying to break free of John and go another round with Bartu.

But the ARC commander was able to hold him back with pure strength. Aloke glanced back hearing Arthur grunt and gave him a look that said "calm yourself". "You have forty one seconds, Bartu."

Arthur tried what she said and started to calm himself. He gave a glance toward Bartu, but then looked away feeling his anger resurface slightly when he made contact with him. Bartu on the other hand was getting nervous and decided to help the Republic go after Enkado, after all it would be less competition for him to deal with.

"Hypothetically, Enkado may have moved his operations thirty clicks northeast of where he used to work from. It is in the mountains, but they are an adventure on their own. They are filled with caves and pathways as far as the eyes can see. They are one giant maze," Bartu told Aloke. The Togruta scoffed and waved away Vy and Reysh. "Thank you for your cooperation," she said sweetly to the man before walking away. John pulled Arthur to his feet and started guiding him in the way Aloke was going.

"Sir," Dakota, an ARC in all white armor spoke up, "What about Bartu?" Tano chuckled and kept walking, "Leave him."

Arthur said nothing as the ARCs continued to follow Aloke, he didn't want to make his situation even worse by speaking, especially with the super clone being the one that was guiding him. Tano continued down aways until she felt it was safe enough to talk. Turning on her heel sharply, she faced Perry.

"You stole Republic weapons?!"

"What?!" John exclaimed, Vy and Reysh gave Arthur a look as well. The other ARCs spread out to watch their backs as the conversation ensued.

Arthur gulped, _why did she bring this up when I'm cuffed to a super clone, and surrounded by others_, he thought. "I did what I had to to survive. Bartu contacted me to lift some Republic blasters, and I was able to grab Mia and pull off the heist, but instead of giving them to Bartu, we hid them and we were going to sell them to someone else, but it never got that far" Arthur explained.

Aloke stepped back and huffed. She looked to John, who was seething, and gestured for him to release Arthur. With hesitation, the Commander let go of the Padawan and removed the handcuffs. John didn't give him another look and walked over towards his men; Tano gazed at him before turning her glare back on the Padawan.

"I thought we could use the blasters to bargain our way into Enkado's new hideout. Should give us an easy way of getting in, but getting out will be difficult," Arthur said trying to change the subject, but he knew it wouldn't work.

"What do you mean "it never got that far"?" Aloke questioned with a raised brow.

Arthur gulped again, "Well, I made my way to Meksha's and sat at a table and was suppose to meet the buyer that Mia got for the weapons, when Obi-Wan showed up with Master Skywalker and Ahsoka, and you probably know the rest," Arthur finished, slightly turning his face, expecting a hard slap from Aloke or a possible blindside hit from one of the clones.

But, the Togruta remained where she was. "And if they hadn't shown up?" At this, John turned around and looked at the two. Even though his helmet was covering his face, the glare was as clear as day.

Arthur looked down, "I probably would have found someone else to be honest. I was struggling to get by and did the only thing I was good at, which you saw in the diner today," he finished. Arthur had his head down, ashamed of how he use to be and for not trying harder to stray from the Dark Side.

"You're lucky they found you," Aloke said through gritted teeth, "You're even luckier that the Jedi Council didn't turn you down when Obi-Wan brought you in." With that, she turned away and stormed off. John watched her go before approaching Arthur. "She's mad because the Council turned away her sister for being too old," he said.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said before he turned in the opposite direction of Aloke and walked back towards town, and when the clones were no longer in sight, he sprinted. He arrived in town and stuck to the shadows and the outskirts, so no one would see him and arrived at his old house. Arthur stood outside taking in a deep breath and then entered the house and was immediately flooded with memories.

_**Flashback**_

_A nine year old heard screams from people outside his house, and the distant sounds of blaster fire, mixed with the rumbling sound of speeder bikes. The boy's parents came into the room and his mother knelt down beside him, "Arthur sweety. You must hide like you promised you would," she said in a calm and motherly tone._

_Arthur nodded his head, "Yes mom," he replied sadly, before turning to hide in the closet that his parents had cleared out for him. A mere seconds after he shut the door, Arthur saw some men burst into the house and attempt to grab his parents, but they fought back with their own weapons….._

**Present Day**

Arthur made his way over to the closet and examined it, remembering that day's events like it were yesterday. He knelt down and looked inside and saw nothing was disturbed. Everything was still as he had left it from that day. He then slowly made his way to the window…..

_**Flashback cont.**_

_Arthur saw through the cracks in the door his parents being dragged out of the house. He waited till everyone was out and he then crept from his hiding spot to the window, to see what was happening. Everyone was forced to gather at their street, while his parents were brought to their knees in front of a younger looking Enkado and his previous second in command, Namar. _

"_I see you pathetic excuses of life still have some fight in you, but no matter. We will deal with all of you who still fight in good time," Enkado addressed the crowd of people, and with that he and Namar aimed their guns at Arthur's parents and pulled the trigger and two shots rang out. The nine year old Arthur watched as the bodies of his parents dropped to the ground._

**Present Day**

Arthur now stared blankly out of the now broken and cracked window. He wanted to forget, he wanted to not feel anything if this is what it brought him. He felt wronged, why are some people spared, while others, like his parents, were taken? It wasn't fair.

"Anger doesn't solve everything."

Arthur jumped at the sound of the voice and quickly turned his head in the direction it came from to see Aloke. He turned his gaze back to the window and focused on the spot on the street where his parents were made an example of, "I don't want to feel at all," he said, speaking his thoughts that were in his mind seconds ago.

"It takes years, but it's possible," said Tano, "How do you think your Master came to hide her feelings so well?"

Arthur continued to stare blankly out at the street, "I don't wanna wait years, I just want this pain gone," he said with an emotionless face as he still played the day over and over in his head.

Aloke nodded and shrugged as she spoke, "That's pretty much what we all said at some point in our training." She stopped to smile at Arthur encouragingly. Looking out the busted window, she continued: "But we pulled through and by that point, the pain was gone." The Togruta huffed and narrowed her eyes at the boy. His Force signature was oddly tranquil. Diving deeper, Tano was able to see flashes of the memories Arthur was revisiting.

With a sigh, Aloke started walking out of the room. She paused over the threshold and glanced at the Padawan over her shoulder. "Look, I'm not your Master, but if I was, I'd want to know what's on your mind." She waited for Arthur to look at her before she continued.

Arthur pulled his eyes away from the spot on the street and set his eyes on Aloke, he then waited for her to speak.

"Remember that the next time you talk with Oni," was all she said before she completely departed to check up on the ARCs. Arthur, after Aloke left, made his way to his parent's bedroom before he left to catch up with her. He made his way to a table that his parents had next to their bed and found a ring that his mother used to where all the time. It wasn't her wedding ring, but his father gave it to her and it was her favorite. He found an old chain that used to be for a necklace and put the chain through the ring then clasped the necklace around his neck. The ring would serve to him as a reminder of why he was doing this. After tucking the necklace, he then raced off to catch up to Aloke.

**(The **_**Akul**_**)**

Oni stared out the viewport, wondering where her Padawan was. Her golden brown hair slightly fell in her face, but she didn't make the effort to move it; instead, her eyes scanned the surface of the planet. She trusted Aloke to take care of Arthur, but she still had a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach.

A clone in some rather artistic green markings that were covering his regular, standard issued white armor came up behind Oni and saluted, "General, you're gonna want to see this," he replied, while standing at attention, till Master Kao responded.

"Dustin?" Oni raised a brow, "Did something happen?" She felt that knot in her stomach tighten and looked at the man expectantly.

Dustin removed his helmet and made his way to a control panel and started to hit some buttons and brought up a hologram of Meksha's Diner. "This happened about thirty minutes ago" he said, "One of General Tano's men sent in this security footage from a club". It was pretty obvious on the video what he was trying to show her.

Kao's face contorted into a grimace and she scoffed, gesturing for Dustin to put the device away. "Frustrating on so many levels," the woman mumbled, seething.

"What's our plan of action sir...er...ma'am?" he asked, rather nervously. Dustin was a relatively new recruit brought in from their latest stop for reinforcements for the Tenth Star Corp. Oni sighed, "Could you call in the Commander? I know he's training recruits right now, but I need to speak with him on this."

Dustin gave a salute and left the room to fetch the Commander Green. A couple minutes later, Green entered the room, "You wanted to see me General?" he asked, with a hint of relief that he got a break from training recruits.

"What am I going to do about Arthur?" Kao asked in a whisper, turning her attention towards the viewport. Green just gave her a sympathetic look, he trained recruits before, but they were bred for what they signed up for, so he could only imagine what it was like for a Jedi Master to train a Youngling. "I suggest you two talk it out. Like sit down and really talk things out, maybe you can break through to him," he replied setting his gaze upon her, waiting for what the master's plan.

"Said the man who couldn't do that himself," Oni retorted with a smirk. Green just laughed at what she said, "Do as I say not as I do" he said, defending himself, "Now what's the plan? You're always the one with the plan."

Kao scoffed and frowned, "I am not."

Green gave her a puzzling look, "Well we can retrace Arthur's footsteps and catch up to him and General Tano. We don't need to bring along any support, since they probably have all the troops they need for the mission," he said, trying to help her make a decision on a course of action. "I don't mean this," she snapped, inquiring as to the situation at the bar, "I meant overall...what am I supposed to do to teach him? I never asked for any of this."

"What's that famous Jedi saying, that… um… nothing happens by accident… but… it's the way of the force why you were given this situation," stated Green, "You need to make the best of this and whatever happens happens, and I will be right behind you" he said, giving her a salute to prove his point.

Oni scoffed lightly at his humor, but gave a thankful smile nonetheless. "I still would appreciate some insight from a teacher's perspective," she said, looking towards the marshal commander expectantly. After all, he does train and guide his men on a daily basis.

"You are the teacher, isn't that why they call you master and him apprentice," he said, gesturing towards where the footage of Arthur was. "I tried to get Arthur to open up more on Ilum when we were escorting the Younglings, but that didn't work out the way I thought it would, especially after we fought, so you need to get him to open up, whether he does so voluntarily or if you need to do your jedi tricks in his mind," he said, giving her advice, that he thought she might not decide to take or like for that matter.

"I suppose," Oni almost mumbled, looking frontward once more, "His being away from Mia is probably not making things easier though." The Jedi Master finished off with a sigh in frustration. "Any advice for helping a heartbroken teenager?" she asked humorously.

Green gave her a slight smirk, "Nope, you're on your own for that one General." His smirk then grew a little more, "So what should I tell the men? Have you come up with a plan, or do I have to do everything?" he asked with sarcasm.

"Would you like to endure a week of ARC training, Commander?"

"No that's quite alright. Arthur has had enough for the two of us" he answered back, chuckling at his own little joke. Kao smirked, "That's what I thought." The woman paused in thought; "We'll take a squad down to the surface at dusk and see what's up. Are we still in contact with Tano's men?"

"I think so, we can probably reach them once we get to the surface" replied the marshal commander, "I'm not sure if they would answer, since they know Arthur hitched a ride with them," he stated. Oni shrugged, "I guess we'll find out tonight." She turned to Green and looked as if she wanted to say something, but the Jedi glanced around at the many eyes and ears. Kao turned away and glued her eyes to the viewport.

"I'll go gather up some men then," Green stated and he turned to make his leave. He knew she was gonna ask him something, because unlike the Padawan, he has learned to read her facial expressions. He brushed it aside, and figured they would talk about it another time and went to gather up some men for the surface mission.

Oni nodded as he turned and wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling cold. The only dilemma with their relationship was keeping it off the radar. But she guessed that that was better than what Arthur was going through with Mia, considering he doesn't see her every day.

**Resist: We thank you all for reading another awesome chapter to this story and for waiting through the drought since Christmas.**

**Echo: Force! I forgot how long its been since we've updated! **

**Arthur: Yeah, hopefully your viewers didn't die of old age. It's been ages since you guys have posted anything **

**Green: And considering I only live half the life of a normal human, I died way before the viewers**

**Resist: Yeah, we get the picture, it's been a while. Hope you readers are still alive and kicking and that you enjoyed this immense chapter. Don't forget to drop us some reviews.**


	15. The Training Part IV

**Echo: *crawls from the depths of Pain itself* My fingers are KILLING me! **

**Resist: Mine as well *bends them back into place***

**Arthur: Jeez, can you guys make an even longer chapter?**

**Echo: *gives Arthur the death glare* Oh heck no! Not without going to Hell and back….speaking of which….I forgot my car keys down there. Brb! *dragged down by a mass of hands poking out of the ground* **

**Resist: Well, while Echo does that, We don't own Star Wars and hope you all like this chapter.**

**(Hangar of the **_**Akul**_**)**

Oni unusually walked about with a sense of uneasiness. She felt a strong current flowing from the Force on Delphon: good _and_ bad. In a paradox, she felt confident enough to sport a different look. Her hair was pulled up into a tight ponytail, the ends of which barely brushed her shoulders. Normally she was too closed off to allow anyone, save for Green, to see more than ¾ of her face due to her side bangs.

"Master Kao" came Green's voice, "like the new look, and the squad is ready for your command" he said, giving her a salute. Green led her to the gunship where the squad of six other clones waited for them. When the others saw the two approaching, they straightened up and saluted, waiting for their General's command.

"I assume you all know the plan," she said with her usual, military voice, "If you don't, it's on you to get caught up! We have a Jedi situation on our hands, meaning your lives are at a great risk. You follow my orders exactly and you might have a chance. Understood?"

At once all the clones answered her with the confidence of an army, "Sir, Yes Sir!" they said. Among the six was Sgt. Smoke and Dustin, who was going on his first mission. The clones all turned and boarded the gunship with Master Kao and the ship took off for the surface. While most of the clones huddled in the front of the passenger compartment, Oni and Green stood in the back.

The Jedi Master had put on her glistening armor once more. She stood for a few moments, adjusting the forearm plating. Green noticed this out of the corner of his visor and tilted his head. "Changing our style, are we?" he teased lightly. The woman sighed and tugged on a couple straps here and there. "Not really," said Oni, looking straight ahead as she pulled on her usual Jedi robe.

Green frowned underneath her helmet and moved to stand in front of her. Due to his superior height, he had to title his head and bend down slightly to see her face at a better level. "It was a joke," he whispered, lightly forcing her face to look up at him with a finger. Her eyes searched his and narrowed.

"I-" she started but was quickly cut off by the sounds of footsteps and the calling of her rank. Green, who had been blocking the other clones' view of her thankfully, stepped aside to reveal a clone painted with shamrock green animal markings. "You think the kid will listen?" he asked, grabbing a hold of the handle above him.

Kao huffed and shook her head, "He never listens, corporal." Green turned to his brother and gestured towards the Jedi Master. "That's why we brought _her_, Latch." Oni gave a smirk before a burst of turbulence caused her to bump into the marshal. He pushed her back up and waited for her to grab onto a support bar before letting go of her.

"_Sir,"_ spoke the ace pilot, Kickback, _"We are approaching the surface."_ Oni nodded to this and pushed a button on a control panel. The lights in the gunship went out for a couple of seconds before a red glow flickered on. "Kickback," the marshal commander called out, "Status."

"_All good up here commander. Touching down in 10"_ came back the pilot's reply. He didn't mind flying the gunship, but prefered the comforts of his V-19 fighter. He was General Kao's most trusted pilot; she contacted him whenever an important mission came up.

Green nodded and turned to his men, "Alright, shinies! We're switching to night vision to avoid detection. We have no idea how Arthur will react, so stealth is our best bet."

"Sir, Yes Sir!" came a unison answer from the clones that were in the gunship. They all immediately touched the sides of their helmets to bring up their night vision as the marshal commander ordered.

**(Planet surface with Aloke and the crew)**

Arthur awoke from his makeshift bed a ways from where Aloke and the ARCs were camped. He decided in the middle fo the night to make some space between him and the ARCs, who he thought would be angry with him for selling Republic blasters during his years before becoming a Jedi. He didn't think the ARCs would play a joke on him after he fell asleep, but he wasn't taking any chances. After he thought everyone was asleep, he made some distance between himself and the others.

Arthur cursed inwardly as today was one of the hottest days he could remember for Delphon. He decided to not wear his clone armor and just went with his jet black, short sleeve, skin tight shirt and jet black pants trying to get comfortable in the scorching heat. Before walking back, he grabbed the necklace he made with his mother's ring and put it around his neck.

The Togruta sat up from her cot and looked around for the Padawan. Not seeing him or sensing his presence in the camp, Aloke got up and started walking around the men, careful as to not wake them. She looked about and noticed a very faint trail of footprints left in the soil. Rolling her eyes and huffing, the Jedi Knight started off in that direction. As she continued on, a lurking darkness became more and more potent.

Arthur made his way to a nearby stream and washed up, and prepared to get ready to head back to the camp. He hoped no one was up yet, but with his luck he was pretty sure half the camp was up. He pulled out his necklace with his mother's ring and twirled it around in his hands for a little, before making to stand up.

Far off in the brush, Aloke was knelt down, analyzing his movements. Her natural markings allowed her to blend in, and her ability to connect with the living Force masked her Force signature from the Padawan. With a scrutinizing gaze, she watched him walk about. However, her heightened sense of hearing picked up the whirr of a gunship out in the distance behind her. Turning around, the Togruta spotted Oni's gunship making its landing near a tree line about a mile out.

Arthur continued to meddle at the stream when he felt something pulling at him, "Trying to find those Republic blasters?" he asked over his shoulder without looking back. He could feel it was Aloke. The Togruta emerged from the brush and walked up to the stream with a tranquil look. "No, I was trying to find a lost Padawan," she stopped and looked at Arthur, "I see that you haven't found him yet either."

"No, I haven't," he then made eye contact with the Jedi Knight, "You wouldn't happen to know what he looks like?" he asked, carrying on their conversation. Aloke sighed, "A lot like someone we both know. He went missing awhile ago, and everyone's been searching for him since. This Padawan...he has nightmares in his sleep about the things he's done and closes himself off from the world."

Arthur looked away and subconsciously started to toy with the necklace around his neck, "I think that he feels if he lets anyone get too close to him, that they will turn up like the last people he let in his heart" he said, slightly in a monotone voice.

Aloke slightly smiled before looking down at the stream. "Oh, there he is," she said in a chipper voice, "I found him." The Togruta pointed at Arthur's reflection in the water before looking up to gauge his reaction.

Arthur smiled, not being able to resist to look at his reflection in the stream, "What do you see? Honestly" replied Arthur.

Tano smirked and shrugged, placing a hand on the young man's left shoulder. "I see a Jedi Knight with true potential. He has cunning and skill, but he's too scared to use them; he just needs to learn. I also see a Padawan who is just like his Master: bold, sometimes arrogant, but brave and dedicated." The woman stopped and stepped up to the stream once more, taking a look at herself. "I used to think it was nothing but a reflection," she sighed, "Now I see."

Arthur looked at his reflection, studying it for a while, "I see a scared boy, who is running from his past, and will always keep running. I see a flawed and broken man too scared to let anyone get too close, including the person who means more to him than anything" he said very calmly, still looking at himself in the stream.

"They are the same person, Arthur," the Togruta smiled.

"I still don't get how you and Oni see this 'greatness' inside me. All I see is shattered pieces," he said, chucking a small rock at his reflection, making some small ripples. Tano beamed at this, "You see that? When something hard hits your reflection...like that...it ripples. But it will always come back to you. Right now, you just have to learn to dodge the rocks thrown at you instead of absorbing them."

"Yeah" he said, taking a small pause before resuming, "Just that simple" he said, tossing another pebble in his reflection, which became distorted before it reformed.

"It's not," Aloke said firmly, "And that's the point: you have to have the patience to learn and stop doubting yourself whenever something goes wrong. I'm not your Master, so I cannot teach you. Frankly, patience isn't exactly my best department, so Kao is your best bet. She is, after all, in line to be the next Grand Master."

"You mean like Yoda?" Arthur said, not as enthusiastic as he wished it came out when he said it. Sure he was proud that Kao was going to get to become Grand Master, but then his future with The Order would be up in the air, would they allow him to have another master after Kao, or would it be a sign for him to walk away?

"Yes," Aloke chuckled, but her smile soon faded, "And though I do not get along with Oni, she does deserve it. I think she'd appreciate it if her Padawan was a bit more patient than he has been so far. Being the leader of the Jedi doesn't exactly come with all the time in the world."

Arthur, still looking in his reflection, gave a faint sigh, that he hopped Aloke didn't hear. He was too busy thinking about what would happen to him if Oni made Grand Master. He started off listening to what she said before, but it slowly drifted to what was his future was going to be like without Master Kao.

"Why am I sensing such negativity from you, young one?" the Togruta asked, "Are you not happy for your Master?"

Arthur stood up and put his hands up in mock surrender, "No! I am happy for her, but what would happen to me afterwards? Not to sound rude, but I'd probably end up being the first ever padawan to have a third master, or maybe they will just brush me aside."

Tano scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You do know that Grand Masters are still allowed to take on Padawans, right? I mean, Oni herself was Yoda's apprentice after Kit Fisto and so on. You'd still be her apprentice, but she may not have as much time to devote to you as she does right now, so I suggest you take advantage of it. I'm sure Green is before they part."

"Like I'd want to be cooped up in a room with old people for the rest of my Padawan days" replied Arthur, visualizing a scene with him, Oni and all the other Council members in a circle discussing one issue after the other. "I'd rather do this, besides we are actually pretty close to where Mia and I hid the blasters, what a coincidence" he said in a way that sounded like he planned it.

"Let's grab them before dawn breaks," the Togruta said, resisting the urge to check for Oni's arrival. They had already been talking for awhile and surely the Jedi Master and her marshal were close enough that if they didn't leave now, Arthur would be apprehended before they could get the weapons.

Arthur led Aloke to a big hillside that wasn't too far from where they were and went about a quarter of the way up and then stopped at what seemed like normal ground. Arthur then just using the force, since he could do that now, removed a square piece of the ground from it's spot and inside was a dug out hole, where four crates of blasters sat.

"Just where we left them" he said, setting the piece of ground down gently, since he would have to cover the hole back up.

"How much in credits?" Aloke asked with a raised brow, "Four crates isn't exactly cheap." Arthur gave her a raised eyebrow of his own, "You don't want to know" he stated, "If you didn't beat me before, you'd beat me for much all this is" he said, with a slight smile.

Tano laughed, "Let's just say you got the shipment at a discount. These are unmarked, right? Cause if they aren't, John is going to rip your face off."

Arthur's facial expressions said it all, he had fear written on his face, "Um…..sure" he said, making to turn away from her as quick as possible and to start moving the crates. Aloke sighed in annoyance and shook her head. Placing her hands on her hips, she called down to him. "Arthur, why would you buy _marked_ weapons?! Those are traceable!" She paused and thought for a moment. "Like, I don't know how I'm going to convince the ARCs to _not_ kill you."

"First off, I didn't _buy_, marked weapons, I _borrowed_, them. Secondly, it's not my problem if someone else gets caught with them, no one saw me or Mia take them, so it would be my word, plus Mia's against someone else's word. Besides you guys could have came for them if you really wanted to. I didn't plan on burying tons and tons of credits in the ground" he said, yelling back up to her as he getting the crates out of the hole, one by one.

"Still," Aloke called out, "Smuggling 101, you never buy marked weapons."

Arthur pushed a crate out of the hole in the hill and popped his head out from behind it and looked at Aloke with a wide grin, "You think I actually bought marked weapons?" he asked, showing a hurt face.

Tano couldn't hold back a smirk. "Yep, just like Alpha."

Arthur even made a bigger smirk if that was possible, "You could open a crate and check if you'd like to, or are you afraid your fingerprints would brand you a criminal in the eyes of the Republic for the rest of your Jedi Knight years?" he asked her, trying his best to hold back a laugh.

"It's tempting, but," she paused to laugh, "I'll have to decline your offer. We don't have much time before Oni comes looking for you." She made sure to not give away that the human Jedi was already hunting him down with a squad. But, she knew that the ARCs would soon join the search and track them down by midday.

"Well…..here…..is the last….one" grunted Arthur pushing the last crate out of the hole, "If Oni finds us, I won't have to worry about living long enough to see her become a Grand Master" said Arthur hitting a button on each of the four crates, allowing them to hover just a bit off the ground, since they were now out of the immensely dug hole in the hill.

"Count me in on that, too," Aloke sighed and aided Arthur in guiding the crates a bit aways, "So I guess we just fill in the hole and head to wherever we're going from here?" She stopped to look off in the distance. The sun was rising now, and cast a pink glow over the horizon. They only had a few hours now to finish their little mission. The Togruta could sense John's concern and knew that the ARCs were on their trail now.

"Just got to replace the ground the best we can, I don't plan on coming back to this place for a while" he said, now pushing the crates down the hill, "So what are we going to do about Oni? Can't exactly save Mia when I'm grounded for the rest of my life if she catches me."

"Ha," Aloke scoffed, "Well, is there any chance that she or Green would help you? Do they know of your affections towards Mia?"

"Yes they know of Mia and how I feel about her, and I doubt they would want to help me. Kao would just scold me for going along with you and Green I don't really know if he would or not, plus Kao could probably extract any information she wanted from him if she tried hard enough. Though Smoke would probably help," answered Arthur.

"We are going to need more than two people to take down this gang if their reputation reigns true," said the Togruta, giving a half smile. "Oni is by no means heartless, even though I treat her as though she is. I'm sure due to her being captured and tortured, she and Green will understand. My ARCs might back us up, but they're very independent, so I can't guarantee anything."

"I think if we took a small group in and pass them off as part of our crew it wouldn't draw Enkado's attention too much, if he doesn't kill me first. Then have the others just outside in case we need to make a grab and go" suggested Arthur.

"I suggest we head back then," Aloke said and looked as though she was spacing out. In reality, she was speaking with John through the Force.

"We can do that. I just don't want to run into Oni, before we have a set plan, so it would be harder to take me off the mission," he said, thinking out loud.

Tano smiled, "Ready to hear another complication?" The woman rolled her eyes and shook her head before turning to Arthur.

"Do I want to know? Let me guess, the ARCs are gonna toss me into a ditch before I even see them coming?" he asked, slightly smirking as he did so.

Aloke looked up in thought and squinted her eyes, "Maybe." Returning to her normal look, she brushed off her shoulders. "No, John doesn't want me to go on the mission anymore."

"Doesn't want his commander, talking to an ex smuggler who stole Republic weapons?" he asked, hurting even himself as he said those words. Tano chuckled, "No, I think he's just jealous that he didn't come up with the plan himself. That and the fact that none of the men are going to support the plan." She thought for a moment, "Oh, and because he doesn't want me fighting a gang."

Laughing, she glanced at the Padawan, "He's just being overprotective." Her face contorted into a glare at the ground, "The last time we dealt with gang members didn't turn out to well, so he has good reason."

"I understand. Gangs are more unpredictable than those B1 droids, and gangs are sadly smarter than them too" Arthur said, trying to make light of the situation. Aloke nodded. "Do you want to leave the crates here or take them back to camp with us? If we do, the ARCs might not let us leave. Though, if we have a marshal commander on our side, they'd have to oblige."

Arthur pondered the question for a little as he walked, but decided to hope that Green would side with him on the situation, "We can take them in. Oni is going to kill me anyway, so why not just dig my grave, while I'm at it?"

"Good point," Aloke teased, though her tone sounded serious.

The pair came up to the camp, and immediately the ARC troopers' eyes went to the four crates they were pushing with them. Arthur saw the looks he was getting from most of the ARCs and immediately started to tense up a little.

Reysh stepped forward, but Aloke held up a hand and snapped in Togruti. John rested a hand on one of his blasters and gestured towards the crates. "We're taking those back," he declared, "They belong to the Republic. Those guns could have saved dozens of our brothers' lives."

Aloke repeated the command to John pushing a hand against his broad chestplate when he moved forwards. He, through his visor, glared down at her. Growling, he spoke back to her in her language, gesturing here and there towards Arthur and the crates. Tano gritted her teeth and said something, looking over her shoulder at the Padawan. Immediately, the ARCs relaxed slightly and started backing away.

Someone stepped up to Arthur and grabbed his shoulder roughly, turning him about. Aloke glanced over and narrowed her eyes, saying this in Togruti: "We have a way to rescue the girl."

Oni glared at Tano before her Padawan. "I cannot allow him to turn over Republic intel to rescue Mia," she said, seething, "There are other options." Green, who had been standing behind his superior officer, stepped forwards and removed his helmet. Giving Arthur an unapproving and disappointed look, he exhaled and lightly pulled Kao away from the boy. "Everyone just cool down," he said, mainly to Oni.

"Relax," he whispered to her in Huttese, her responding with: "He was harboring stolen weapons! We can't just let him continue." Green sighed and gently pushed her away once more, whispering words of encouragement towards communication and remaining calm.

The human Jedi Master eyed him, wondering why he wasn't screaming or yelling at Arthur. Not that she wanted him to, but it was still odd for him to not take on a "mentor" like role towards her apprentice.

"We can stand here and argue, and waste time, and eventually find another way, and by then Mia will probably be dead, and the gang will be long gone, unless…" Arthur was in deep thought, trying to figure out why they would have Mia in the first place, "they are after the blasters too, or just me, since I ruined all they built" he then eyed his master, who was looking at him with eyes of fire, "I have a plan to get us in and out, and a fail safe in case it goes bad and we need to do a quick grab and go" he said, not wavering from her glare.

"You-" she started off harshly, but Green shoved her slightly and glared at her. Oni glanced up at him briefly with the same look, them communicating either through their bond or the sheer power of their frowns. The marshal slowly let go of her and she looked back at Arthur. "You have thirty seconds to change my mind, young one. Even then, if we make it out of this, you and Green are going to have a serious talk about following protocol." The clone didn't seem too happy about being dragged into the warning, but still turned to look at Arthur.

On the other side of the group, Aloke and John were communicating as well, wondering what to make of the bickering trio. The ARC commander still did not want his significant other to face the gang despite her insisting upon it. The other clones either settled around the campfire or began walking around the campsite with Green's men in unofficial perimeter patrols.

"Look, I understand that taking these weapons was wrong, but you have to understand that I was doing whatever I had to do to survive to the next day, whether it meant taking weapons from the Republic or stealing whatever from the Separatists. I didn't know I had the Force back then, and I'm trying to amount to something greater…..I just need you to trust me on this and none of you are going to because I stole Republic weapons. If you aren't going to help, then I'll rescue Mia on my own," and with that, Arthur made to grab a crate and was getting ready to go on his own.

Oni used the Force to grab the crate and she, in a fit of unwarranted rage, threw the object across the campsite and into a small tree. The crate splintered open and the weapons poured out onto the ground in a flurry of metal clanking metal. Every clone turned their heads towards the woman and froze with wide eyes. She was huffing with adrenaline and glared at Arthur. "You are not taking those weapons," she said through gritted teeth. Green for a moment thought that she would break her jaw or a couple teeth. He glanced back at the broken crate and then back at the Master.

Aloke seemed rather calm yet sighed, looking at the ground. She knew that the weapons were stolen and was starting to see Oni's point. Sure, Arthur didn't know before, but now, with the Republic scrounging for supplies and men dying due to it, it would be wrong to turn over the weapons.

Oni closed her eyes for a moment and tried to calm herself. She only opened them when Green placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to soothe her.

"Don't risk a thousand lives," she paused, "Just to save one. Do you know who used to say that?"

"No and I don't care," replied Arthur, full of rage and anger, all directed at one person, his master. He was thinking on his feet, and did something that he would regret later, but it was too late to take it back. With reflexes that was quick like Dooku's lightning, he had his lightsaber out and ignited and was looking directly at Oni, "Can't you think past the weapons? You let one decision that I made years ago, stand in the way of life or death for the one person I care most for? And don't even think you wouldn't be doing the same for Green!" he shouted, pointing his lightsaber at her face.

Green drew his DC-15 blaster, but General Kao forced his arms down and pushed him away. She summoned both her blades and prepared for an attack. "No," she started, "I am not basing my decision on what you did in your past; that no longer matters anymore. I am basing my decision on the fact that you are willing to risk the lives of dozens of clones to save one person, and that is wrong. I understand that you would do anything to rescue Mia, but she would never allow you to do what you are planning. Think about it."

Aloke, who was preparing to draw her blade and break up the conflict, withdrew her hand and listened to the Master.

Green growled, but didn't raise his blaster again. "Kid, you're being selfish. Don't accuse your Master of wrong doings or place the blame on her when you've been caught red handed. If it meant saving my brothers, I would rather have Oni leave me to die: no question. Oni would want the same. General Tano and John would want the same." He paused. "Mia...would want the same."

Arthur turned his hardened gaze toward Green, "Caught? Those blasters were hidden away for years, and you only see them now, because Aloke and I dug them out and brought them to your feet," he paused, and slid his hand through his short, jet black hair, and took a deep breath before unclipping his braid and dropping it to the ground, "You want the crates? then take them, I don't need them," he said, anger still clear and unmistakable in his voice, "I'll save her myself, I don't need any of you. You don't want me to risk thousands to save one, then I will go alone" and with that he started to walk out, leaving the crates where he brought them in.

The Jedi Master was about to say something, but all of a sudden, she paused and stared wide-eyed at Arthur. Green frowned and looked back and forth between the two, confusion written on his face.

Ahead of Oni was her Padawan, walking away. But that's not what she was seeing. The image of her former Padawan took his place, though the Togruta stopped and turned to look at Oni. "You let me go," Kulani's voice rang in Kao's head, "And now you're letting him walk away, too." Then the figure turned around and faded away. Oni, so shocked with what she had just witnessed, gasped as her eyes rolled back and her legs gave out. Luckily for her, Green dropped his blaster and caught her in time.

Aloke and John rushed over, soon followed by Smoke and Vy. Green knelt down on the ground and shifted the Jedi Master so that her head was resting against his shoulder.

Arthur heard the gasp, but he had his mind set on getting Mia back that he kept walking, though he walked slower, debating on turning around, but decided against it, thinking it would cause less second guessing of his decision on his part. He hoped she was ok, but continued to walk in the other direction.

Aloke watched him go, a gloom look on her face. Quickly, she checked Oni's Force signature and then patted Green to let him know that she was going to be okay...for now. Vy turned to her and rested a hand on the marshal's other shoulder for encouragement, "What are we going to do about the boy?"

Tano's eyes narrowed and a fire glowed about them. "Follow him." She stood up and began slowly marching in the direction the Padawan was going before she stopped. "Fek no," John stated, shaking his head, "We are not going to help him, not now." Aloke smiled, "Who said anything about helping him?"

"Are we apprehending him?" asked Smoke cautiously, though he didn't take his concerned eyes off Kao. Tano's smirk grew and she nodded. John immediately stood up and cracked his knuckles, "Fek, yeah." The Togruta rolled her eyes in annoyance and stepped in his path, harshly shoving him backwards….though in vain due to his superior size and strength. "Alright, Jango," she pushed again, "That's enough. You're staying here to watch over Master Kao."

John grunted in dismay and backed off, Vy standing up to pat him on the shoulder blades while shaking his head. Smoke picked up his blaster and hesitantly moved forward to join the party. He and Arthur were close friends, and to have it come to this was not what he wanted. He hoped the boy found the girl alive, he would hate to see what he would do if she wasn't.

Aloke nodded to him and then looked around at the group. The other clones cautiously moved closer, but looked as though they didn't know what to say or do.

Reysh snorted and walked over, "I'll kick some butt for you, Alpha." Vy stepped around John and stood next to the younger ARC, giving Aloke a nod in loyalty.

Green sighed and gently laid Oni down on the grass. Picking up his blaster and putting his helmet back on, he said: "I'm in, but we're bringing back Arthur _and_ Mia." Tano thought about his terms for a moment before giving a half smile. "If she's still alive, commander," she confirmed. The woman looked as Green's men rounded up and glanced at the marshal for guidance.

"Dustin, Latch," Green said, "Stay here and help the ARC keep an eye on the general."

**(Arthur in the Woods)**

Arthur ran through the woods, trying to lose the clones that were assembling to search for him. All he wanted was to rescue Mia, to bring her back. He was confused as why they would capture her, but thinking it through, Enkado probably is after the crates of blasters, _more than likely, _he thought, or he is after Arthur, _hope not but if he is then oh well, better me than Mia, _he continued to think to himself.

He ran through puddles, didn't run in a straight line and would double back every once in awhile to see if he was being followed by anyone, then after sitting for a couple minutes, would start off in another direction. He did his best to try and mask his force signature, but knew it was only a matter of time before he either heard Oni or Aloke in his head, trying to coax him into giving up, since they all turned against him because of his past actions.

He then remembered what Oni said in their fight, what did she mean by 'his past didn't matter anymore'? Had it mattered to her, or did the sentence mean nothing at all? He quickly shook his head and decided to think about these things later, when he wasn't being chased by people he once called friends.

_Arthur, what are you doing? You'll be expelled for insubordination!_

Arthur after hearing Aloke in his head, grabbed his head with his hands, "Get out of my head!" he yelled, wishing he hadn't since he probably alerted every clone to where he was.

Smoke was silently moving through the woods when he heard a yell, that sounded exactly like Arthur. He immediately sprinted in that direction hoping to be the first one there and talk to his friend. He remembered when Arthur first joined and how things didn't go so well for him, but he took a liking to the kid. Now the kid was in deep trouble, and he wanted to help.

But he wasn't the only one who heard. Aloke, with her sensitive hearing, pinpointed his general direction and signaled for the group to move that way. Green exhaled through his nose as his blood began to boil. If Oni didn't get the chance to yell at him for disobeying orders, he would make sure he got to. The marshal ran alongside the Togruta, marching through the bushes and around trees.

Arthur immediately took off in the first direction that came to his head. He continued to sprint, not daring to stop at the moment. As he sprinted, he took short looks behind him, to see if he was being followed, and just like how he met Obi-Wan on Delphon for the first time, he bumped into someone and fell to the immediately panicked and had fear frozen on his face, as he began to backpedal because of who was in front of him. In front of him stood Aloke, the one person he didn't want to run into. With fear written all over his body, he took out his lightsaber handle and held in his grasp, that was visibly shaking.

Tano said nothing as she used the Force to summon his blade. Grasping it, she flickered her gaze from the weapon to the Padawan. "I'll hold onto this until we reach the gang's compound," she said. Green, seething, turned to her sharply. "Sir?" he started, "Aren't we apprehending the boy and taking him back to the _Akul_? General Kao's orders-"

"Are no longer relevant," Aloke interrupted, staring at Arthur the whole time, "We are rescuing the girl and then arresting the gang leader for interrogation. Afterwards, we will arrest Padawan Perry on terms of insubordination and bring him before the Jedi Council."

Green huffed in irritation, but nodded his head in compliance. "Sir, yes, sir," he said and then motioned for Arthur to stand up. "Alright, kid," he said more calmly, "Where's the compound?"

Arthur got up and took some more steps backward, "I-I-It's in t-t-those m-m-mountains" he said pointing to some mountains that weren't too far from where they were, "Bartu said there are a maze of pathways through them, and finding Enkado won't be easy," he said, calming down slightly, but was still on his guard of the Jedi Knight and the Marshal Commander.

Just then Smoke appeared through the woods and noticed he wasn't the first to meet Arthur, "Kid, you alright?" he asked, genuinely concerned for him.

"I-I'm good" Arthur said, looking in Smoke's direction.

Green slightly glared at his brother and then gestured towards Arthur. "Keep an eye on the kid," he said, "If he tries to run, stun him. I don't like it, but General Kao's orders still stand." The marshal gave Aloke a glance before spinning on his heels and walking rather quickly towards the destination.

Reysh and Vy emerged from behind a bush and immediately drew their weapons upon Arthur, walking towards him slowly. Aloke held up a hand to stop them, and Smoke pointed his DC-15A at Vy. Not wavering at all, the lieutenant kept his weapon on Perry, while Reysh backed him up by targeting Smoke. "Stand down!" Tano ordered at all three with a firm glare.

Smoke, slowly lowered his weapon, while keep an eye on each of the ARCs in case they pulled anything funny. Arthur felt bad for Smoke, who was risking his life to protect the boy who stole weapons for his own selfish needs, while they were needed for clones like Smoke and his brothers. Arthur's eyes wandered around till they laid sight on Tano, but as she looked at him, he quickly looked down in fear, which was still present in him.

"Vy," Aloke warned, though her command fell upon deaf ears. "We're taking in the Padawan," Vy spat towards Smoke, "For disobedience. Both General Kao and Alpha have a warrant for his arrest. It would be foolhardy for us not to go through with it. Sorry, Aloke, but we must follow the GAR's rules of engagement."

Tano sighed and closed her eyes. Green, who had stopped walking when the ARCs arrived, spun about and raised his blaster slightly, though not yet sure which person to aim for. Turning on stun mode, he scoffed at the stand off and landed his eyes upon Arthur.

In all of Arthur's years as a smuggler, he was never so afraid in his life. Sure this wasn't the first time he was in a sticky situation, since they actually happened more often than he cared to admit, but this was the first time he was completely afraid of what was going to happen to him and Smoke, since he seemed like the only clone in the entire Army of the Republic that wasn't out to get him.

Aloke, feeling as though she were trapped in a corner, lowered her hands and looked to Vy. "Has Sharpeye located the coordinates of the compound?" she asked calmly. The ARC lieutenant nodded firmly and said: "Yes, sir. Eagle Squadron is en route for a bombing campaign." Tano nodded to this and glanced at Arthur.

Arthur moved toward Aloke, drawing the attention of all the clones, "You can't bomb that base, you said we were going to rescue her!" he was practically screaming as he walked toward her, though she showed no signs of backing down, or getting into any type of confrontation with the Padawan. Green and Smoke were the first there to hold Arthur back.

Vy and Reysh moved to tackle him to the ground. "Sir, we've been given orders by the GAR to bomb the compound at 0419," Vy said as he and Reysh forced Arthur to the ground and handcuffed him with Force-resistant binders. Aloke looked away for a moment, knowing she had to obey the Chancellor's demands.

"Sir," Green started, looking at his HUD, "We have exactly two hours to get into the compound, find the girl, and clear the blast radius."

Arthur looked at Aloke with tear stained eyes, "Please," he begged, while trying to squirm out of Vy and Reysh's hold, "Let me have a chance. That's all I want" he said, still squirming and trying to break free.

"I'm sorry, Arthur," Aloke said, "But I can't let you go without betraying the Republic. We'll grab Mia and get her to safety, I promise. But you're staying behind." She looked at the boy in gloom, feeling guilty. Turning to Green, she sighed, "Call for a gunship to take him back to the _Akul_. I'll let Oni have the honors of taking him back to Coruscant."

"Then what was the point of letting me sneak aboard?" he cried, "I'll face my sentence and take all the blame for everything that happened; sneaking aboard your ship, the weapons, disobeying orders, all of it, just let me come with you," he pleaded, hoping to see Mia one last time before he was arrested by the GAR.

"Arthur, your connection to the Dark Side makes you a liability in this situation," Aloke started, though it came out as a snap, "I understand that you want to see Mia safe. I promise to you that we will get her out of there so you two can talk. But, I cannot allow you to come on this mission. Do I make myself clear?" She glanced at Vy and said something using ARC hand signals, ones that were modified for her team alone. Green looked between Tano and Perry and cautiously approached Arthur. He took his helmet off and gave him a sympathetic frown.

"Kid, think about it," he said, "If you dodge this, then you'll be put on trial for a court martial. That means you'll be sent to prison and won't be able to see Mia. What do you think your Master would say about all of this? She wants to see you become a Jedi Knight, not expelled in your first year of training." Green smiled, "We'll get her out and bring her back to the _Akul_, I promise. I'll make sure that you see her before any sort of punishment is laid out."

Arthur looked down at his feet, staring intently at them, as if mulling it over, "I'm sorry" he mumbled, before he looked back up to Green with glassy eyes. The marshal gave a crisp nod before slipping on his bucket and stepping away. He motioned for Reysh and Vy to keep a hold of him and raised his wrist up to speak.

"Gunship 217, this is Marshal Commander Green," he paused, "We need a SWAT team to escort a prisoner back to the Akul."

Moments later, a clone pilot responded. _"Sir, yes, sir. Team Rancor is gunning up and on their way, over."_ Green sighed, "Copy that. Green, out."

Smoke looked back at Arthur and gave him a salute, "Hang tight kid, it's gonna be a bumpy ride" he said. He then placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'll see you on the other side" he said before going off to join the others. The gunship then appeared in the sky and the SWAT troopers came to escort Arthur to the Akul.

After a good amount of time was used to weave through the maze of pathways on the mountain, the group finally made it to the compound and took cover at a nearby ridge. The compound was a decent size for being up in the mountains. Using their (binoculars) they were able to get a better idea of what they were up against.

Being up in the mountains actually worked in the groups favor. The gang was limited on where they could put up their buildings, that were mostly just huge tents. The one actual building, was right in the middle of the compound, which they figured was Enkado's base of operations within the compound. They figured Mia was in that one, or the huge tent that also had more armed guards around it than the others by several men.

"Ahh, the kid is going to hate us even more if we don't get her out of there in one piece" said Sgt. Smoke, looking through microbinoculars scanning the compound for a way in. Green nodded and sighed, "Yeah, we're in for a fekking fight."

Smoke continued to look through the microbinoculars, "I don't see another way in, just burst through and go in and take it by storm. Gonna be risky, but we are short on time. We just need to grab the girl and get out, and there can't be too many places she can be" he said, giving the microbinoculars to Aloke.

**Arthur: Aaaaannnnddd, you guys wrote a bigger chapter. I thought you said no?**

**Echo: *emerges from a grave as the sky turns red and fire rains down from the Heavens* I found my car keys! What did I miss? **

**Resist: Not much, only our readers reading a bunch pages of Star Wars.**

**Echo: *jaw drops* Glad I wasn't there to see their eyes bleeding. *Looks at a reader* OH GAWD! **

**Resist: *puts hands in front of Echo's eyes* Well, review and let us know what you think, after your guys' eyes stop bleeding of course.**

***Green and Oni walk in* **

**Kao: *looks at everyone in the room, then back at Echo and Resist* I don't even want to know. *walks out* **

**Green: *shrugs* See y'all next time! **


	16. The Training Part V

**Resist: After posting Chapter 15 and realizing it was 13,146 words, I hurried up and deleted part of it and updated the chapter with the shortened version of Chapter 15. I know some of you don't like really long chapters.**

**Arthur: Yeah, 13,000 words is way to much, that is almost like 25 pages in Microsoft Word.**

**Echo: Do you even know what Microsoft Word is?**

**Arthur: Maybe…..Earth is so low tech compared to the stuff in Star Wars**

**Resist: Whatever, anyway, here is the other half of Chapter 15**

**(Aboard the Akul)**

The gunship landed in the hangar and the SWAT troopers escorted Arthur, in Jedi resistant binders, to a cell where they threw him into. Arthur slowly got himself back up and sat on his cot that was beside a small table. The cell was small and ray shielded, so even if he wanted to escape, he couldn't. He was really tired anyway, so he figured he wouldn't make it far anyway.

Arthur sat looking down at the table, where he saw a plate of food that was on the table, but he couldn't eat, even if he tried, instead he just starred at his binder that held his hands together. He tried to make the situation less of a stress and focused on thinking of other things, drifting from topic to topic.

One topic that he came upon was the clones. _Why were some clones, like Vy and Reysh, willing to follow orders to a T, no matter who was in their way, _he thought remembering how they and Smoke had their guns pointed at each other. _Then there are clones like Smoke, willing to do what they think is right, no matter what their original set of orders were. _Clones to Arthur, weren't clones. He looked at them as if they were human. Most of the Senate along with the Kaminoans, who created the clones, saw the clones as expendable soldiers, who cares if a hundred die because the Kaminoans could replace those hundred fallen clones with 120 fresh troops ready for battle.

"Someone once told me not to think about it too hard," came a calm and tranquil voice. "He told me that if I focus on the if's and why's of war, I'd never be able to go back. Do you know who said this to me?"

Arthur didn't even look at her, or acknowledge that she was in the room. He knew it was Oni, but he didn't care. He just continued to stare at his cuffed hands, not moving an inch.

"That's the first thing Green said to me when we first met," Kao sighed, sitting down next to her Padawan, "And I didn't listen to him at first, but then he told me what happened to him when he thought about the war too much. It got to him, and started eating at him from the inside. If you go down that path, Arthur, the darkness will consume you." She knew he wasn't going to talk, but knew that he was listening.

Arthur just continued to sit, still looking blankly at the table in front of him. Eventually, he looked up at his master, with a face that was hard to read, even for Oni, but if she looked hard enough, she would see the anger he had toward her, "Why are you even here? Don't you have better things to do?" he asked coldly.

"I'm here to train you," she said firmly, though the look of hurt flashed across her eyes, "Arthur, I have sacrificed a lot to be here, and so have you."

Arthur looked at her again, "Well don't let me keep you down, I heard about your possible 'promotion' Don't let me stand in your way" he said.

"Promotion?" Kao inquired, "How would you be in the way of any...promotion that you speak of?"

"I know that once you get your 'promotion' that you will have to sacrifice your time in order to take on your responsibilities, whatever they are, which means less time to train a Padawan" he said, looking at his now cold food.

Kao stared at him in utter confusion before realization kicked in. "Oh," she scoffed, "You think I'm going to accept their offer of being Master of the Order?" A half smile came over her. "Even if I thought myself ready for the honor, I couldn't take it, Arthur."

"Why not? I'm technically not your Padawan anymore, since I don't have my braid, so you don't have to worry about me being a burden to you" replied the boy.

She managed a smirk, "Just because you removed your braid doesn't mean you're any less of a student to me." Oni's smile faded, "The problem isn't not being able to train you. If I was Master of the Order, you would just remain on Coruscant with me and we'd train you in the Temple. The problem is…" The Jedi Master stopped talking and stared off for a moment.

"You can say it. The problem is me. I've been a burden to you since day one," replied the Padawan.

"No! It's not!" Kao snapped, sharply turning to glare at him. She narrowed her eyes before looking away again. "If I accept their offer, the 10th Star Corps will be handed off to someone else. Since I wouldn't be as flexible as other Jedi, the Council deemed that I wouldn't be the best general to lead an elite corps." Oni's eyes brimmed with tears even though they were still burning with a fiery amber glare.

"I'm sorry master, but I feel you'd have an easier time without having to teach a Padawan, who's as hot headed as me. I know you probably don't agree, but that is just what I think" he said. Seeing his master in this state, made him regret staying mad at her. He realized she actually cared for him, and he is here pushing her away because he is mad at her.

"You're right," Oni barely mumbled, "I do disagree with you." She sniffled, "I'd rather have you as my Padawan if I accept the offer. I'd be all alone otherwise. Losing Green would come close to killing me, already."

"At least you aren't arrested" replied Arthur holding up his bound hands so she could see. Oni glared at her Padawan, "You were arrested because of _your_ actions, young one."

"I know" Arthur said, "Green should be coming back with Mia soon right?" he asked, but as soon as he did realized that his question would make Oni's mindset worse, "If you don't want Green in the hands of another Jedi, then why not just decline the offer?"

Kao frowned and narrowed her eyes off into space, "Because the Council will become suspicious if I do."

Arthur then gave her his idea that he got to possibly help her out of the situation, "Just tell them that you feel it is better to have my training on the battlefield then reading books in a library on how to handle politics" he suggested to her.

Oni exhaled and folded her hands in her lap. "The Jedi Council has given you a chance to prove you are more than your struggles, Arthur. Green had the same mindframe as you, and I guess that's why the two of you butt heads a lot; he doesn't want you to go down the road he did. Together, he and I were able to get past that and find a purpose, rather than a need for answers to questions we would never know the answers to."

Arthur looked at the plate of food that was still on the table that he never touched. He wanted to eat, but he was too stressed and angry at the woman next to him to even try to eat.

Wishing that the marshal was here instead of carrying out the rescue mission, which should be almost over by now, the Jedi Master stood up. "I know you're going through a phase right now, Arthur," she started, "But this is wartime, and you need to be thinking logically and from a military standpoint."

Arthur looked up at his master, "Do you think my parents' death was necessary then?" he asked calmly, waiting for her reply. Arthur's memories of that day came back, and he put them to the front of his mind, giving his master easy access to them.

Oni tilted her head before answering. "Perhaps," said the Jedi Master, "Death is a natural part of things. Yes, we deal with grief, but, eventually, we must accept it. No one lives forever. Lives should be measured in what we do, not how long we live. What do you want people to measure your life with?"

Arthur looked down at his cuffed hands again thinking of what his master said. He then raised his head back up to look at her with watery eyes, "I'm sorry" is all he said, before returning his gaze to his hands, "For taking the weapons, f-f-for everything"

"Take that guilt," Oni pointed towards the handcuffs, "And use it to do something good. Accept the consequences of your actions, and lock the darkness out of your life. Stop thinking about war and just play the part. And when this is all over, you'll be able to say that you went to Hell and back. Am I understood, Arthur? I don't want you to think that all I expect from you is an order-following machine dog. I expect you to aspire to success and believe in yourself."

"Believe in myself?" he asked, "I'm broken, tired, I'm damaged goods. Too scared to let anyone get close enough to me cause I don't want to go through losing people I care about anymore" he said, so quietly that Oni could barely hear.

Oni spoke calmly: "Were you listening to my words, Arthur? When you stop believing in yourself like that, you fall victim to the Dark Side. It feeds off your conflict and plants ideals in your mind that consumes you. I've already watched one Padawan be dragged down. I don't want to see it again." With that, the woman made to leave.

Arthur watched his master getting ready to leave, he wanted to say something to her, but he was tired, too weak to barely move. He had cuts and bruises all over, from tree branches when he was running, and from being tackled by the ARC troopers. "Master, I'm sorry about the weapons" he said, he knew she probably didn't care about them, but he didn't want her to leave, though he would never admit it. He liked having the company she brought.

Oni turned around and sat down next to Arthur, placing a hand gently on his cuffed ones. "Arthur, what you did with the weapons is in the past," she said, "When you weren't aware of it; just know that those weapons are going back to the Republic and can help save lives now."

Arthur looked down at his cuffs, and wondered why he let himself get into this predicament. He wondered what Mia was going to do to him, when she saw him in cuffs and as a prisoner aboard the ship he once walked freely around with his master, though technically she wasn't his master anymore since he gave up his padawan braid.

"You really should learn to shield your thoughts young one," Oni said encouragingly, rather than teasing, "Especially if you wish to keep your feelings for Mia from the Jedi Council."

"Your suppose to teach me that aren't you?" he asked, "You are the Master"

"Yes," Oni nodded, "Though, let's wait until after you've been able to talk with Mia, first. I can sense that that's what you're looking forward to the most right now."

"You would too. This is the last time I'll see her for a long time" he said, wondering how long it would actually be before he sees her again. He felt like he was going to be shipped to a prison that was specially made to hold force sensitive people. Oni rested a hand on his shoulder, "I know."

Suddenly, someone knocked on the cell door. Kao nodded towards Arthur before exiting the room, the door closing behind her. She recognized the trooper as Captain Lucas, Green's unofficial second-in-command. "Sir," he greeted with a respectful nod, something he's learned from the Jedi Master since they first met on Geonosis, "The rescue team has come back with the girl, but General Tano and her forces stayed on the planet."

"Why?" Oni asked. Lucas brushed off his helmet which was tucked underneath his arm and gave a half smile. "Chancellor Palpatine gave Delta Force orders to get rid of the gang activity on Delphon. They'll be there for awhile, so I suggest we don't wait for them."

Kao nodded in agreement, "Of course, Captain. We have orders of our own to bring Arthur back to Coruscant. But I do wish to have Mia report to the medical bay for treatment. I'll meet her there." Lucas gave a salute, "Sir, yes, sir." With that, the clone officer departed, slipping on his bucket and likely relaying the general's orders to the marshal.

**(Medical bay of the Akul) **

Patch was attending to some minor cuts on one clone. The clone's name was Lieutenant Ace. He had the standard white armor, but had green stripe run down his arms and leg pieces. He also was equipped with a kama as well, where he holstered his DC-17 blaster pistols.

Patch finished attending to the cuts on Ace's face, "That is going to leave a couple new scars for you" Patch said as he finished up. He turned around to see Green and Smoke bringing Mia into the med bay, "Mia, nice to see you again" he said, while looking over her appearance, "Though I take it you have had better days?" he asked with a small smirk.

"Yeah," the young woman croaked, wincing as the marshal and the sergeant sat her down on an empty bed. "I think I could have done without the last three days, though," said Mia, managing a smile. Green scoffed, "Sorry we were so late in getting you out of there, kid. Something happened that...delayed...our rescue attempt."

Patch approached Mia and started to do some scans, "Looks like some broken ribs at the bare minimum," said Patch, reading his scans. Patch then grabbed a flashlight and ordered Mia to follow the light, checking to see if her pupils dilated. He also had her answer questions to see if other symptoms of a concussion were there. "Good news is you don't have a concussion, most likely," said Patch.

Mia sighed in relief, "That's a shocker. I thought I'd have that and ten other things wrong up there." Green flinched at her words and, underneath the protection of his visor, closed his eyes and grunted from the pain of memories.

Patch, gave a knowing look to Green, since he has been treating the Tenth Star Corp since day one of the Corps existence. He then started to go to work and patch up Mia, while she made conversation with Green and Smoke.

"Where's Arthur?" the girl asked enthusiastically, slightly looking around the room, "I know he wasn't on the mission, but…?"

Smoke, who had his helmet under his arm, visibly frowned, "Arthur...is being held in a cell, for disobedience of orders, and insubordination" he said in a saddened tone.

Mia's smile faded slowly and her eyes widened, "I-i-insubordination? What...what do you mean? What did he do? Is there going to be a trial?"

Smoke lowered his head, "He had a plan to rescue you apparently. A plan that involved digging up those four crates of blasters you two stole a while back. He wanted to use them to get in through the front door, other than that I don't know what he planned to do," replied Smoke, before Green took over.

"Oni, Smoke and I arrived later on and Master Kao and our squad seized the crates before he could use them. He tried to argue and go to rescue you alone using a crate, but Master Kao wouldn't allow it. She was angered and so was Arthur. He pulled his lightsaber on her and eventually removed his Padawan braid and left to save you alone, but we found him and had to arrest him," Green relayed to Mia, continuing the story where Smoke stopped.

Mia was completely dumbfounded. She couldn't believe that Arthur would do something like that. Sure, he was a drone that took orders right away, but she never imagined him going as far to being arrested on grounds of...of...rebellion. "Are they going to return the weapons back to the Republic?" she asked, "And where is Arthur?"

"The weapons are already on their way back to the Republic as we speak," answered Green. He then shared a glance with Smoke before continuing, "Arthur is in Cell Block 2044. Master Kao is on her way down here so she can escort you there," explained Green.

"Alright," Mia said with a sigh, "I don't know what I'm going to say, but trust me: I am pissed."

The three clones gave a chuckle at that. "Take it easy on him, he's in emotional turmoil right now, and hasn't eaten for a while," replied Patch, "Plus I don't want to have to operate on him" he said, giving a smirk.

"I just spent weeks in a prison cell without food, water, or emotional support of any kind," Mia gave a sarcastic smile, "So I don't want to hear about it."

"True," replied Green. He then felt a presence behind him and turned around to see Master Kao. "General," he greeted with a salute. She smiled nodding respectfully, though raised a brow at his rather crisp behavior lately. They haven't really had much time to bond, but them acting as though they were just general and commander was odd. "Commander," she acknowledged and then turned to Mia.

"It's good to see you again, Mia," the Jedi said with a smile.

Mia smiled back in return, "Nice to see you as well Master Kao" she replied. She made to get up from the bed, but grunted as she did so from the pain in her ribs, "Wish it was on better circumstances though" she said, trying to get used to the pain.

Oni smiled and noticed Smoke and Patch standing beside Mia. "We'll leave here in a few moments, but first I need to speak with Green," she said, gesturing for the clones to keep her busy. Turning around, the Jedi Master tugged on the marshal's arm and pulled him out of the medbay. He groaned from a few bruises and sore muscles from the mission as she dragged him away.

Once the doors closed behind them, Oni ran a hand through her golden brown hair and looked up at the commander with expectant eyes. "Alright," she started, "What's going on with you? Why are you acting like this?" The marshal sighed and took of his helmet, revealing the black smudges from battle, ruffled hair, and a slightly busted lip. Kao's eyes widened and she reached up to inspect his face, her fingertips touching his jawline. Green gave a smile and gently pulled away her hand, taking it into his own.

"I haven't really been able to see you," he said, "I know you want to make sure Arthur doesn't feel left out because he can't see Mia, but-"

"Green," Oni placated, "I don't know what's going to happen to him now and I can't lose you, too. I know what I said before and it still reigns true somewhat, but please, let's not pull away from each other completely." The marshal beamed at this, placing a kiss on her hand, "I agree."

"We just can't be all lovey dovey when Arthur's around," Oni smirked. Green returned the look: "And when he's not around?" Kao giggled, "Fair game." She slightly gasped as the commander embraced her, placing his head atop hers. The Master wrapped her arms around his neck, cherishing the rare luxury. "I'm fine with that," Green said, muffled by her hair.

Kao enjoyed the fact that, like John, Green was taller and bigger than his brothers. She fit into his embrace perfectly, as she was four inches shorter than he.

After a few moments, Oni pulled her arms away slowly and gently and guided his helmet up against his chestplate. "I need to go speak with Mia, now," she said with reluctance, her eyes glimmering with sadness, "I'll contact you when your shift is over." Green winked at her with an emerald gaze and slipped on his bucket, "I'll be waiting."

Oni smiled and shook her head as she watched him leave. Turning around, she entered the medbay again, hoping she this would start to fix things.

"General, Mia is good to go I guess. Just be careful with her ribs. Aside from that, she seems to be alright" said Patch as the General walked in, "I do want to see her a bit later, after you're done, to just double check before she leaves" he finished.

"Of course, Patch," Oni said with a confirming nod. Turning to Mia, she gave a warm smile. Gesturing towards the door, she said: "Come, young one, we have a lot to discuss."

Mia slowly made her way to the door and gave the clones one last thank you before she exited, quickly followed by Master Kao, "What do you want to discuss?" she asked, though she knew that they would most likely going to discuss things about Arthur.

"Well," Oni sighed, "As you might know, Arthur is being charged on grounds of insubordination. Thus, we have to bring him before the Jedi Council. As his Master, all I can do is give my side of the story, no more. I need you to convince Arthur to own up to his errors. I know it sounds like a lot, but if he does, the Council will be more lenient with him."

Mia gave an understanding nod to the Jedi Master, "Anything else you'd like me to do for him?" she asked. Though she wasn't around Arthur as much as she liked to be, she still was willing to do anything to help him.

Oni gave a thankful, yet solemn smile, "I'm not sure there's anything more you can do for him. Though, I know seeing you will raise his spirits significantly."

Mia let a smirk show on her face, "Yeah, I know. How is he doing at the moment?" she asked, curious as to how we was dealing with the situation at the moment.

"He's," Oni paused to think about it, "Arthur is...taking rather harshly. He's going through a phase right now where he's doubting himself at every turn and not taking orders at all. I have never gone through this stage, so I can't help him as much. But, since you two have worked together before on illegal operations, your opinion on how bad it was will influence him greater."

They rounded a corner to see two clones at the entrance to the cell block they were heading for. The two clones seemed to be talking till the saw Oni and Mia approaching them. Dustin then came forward to meet them. "Master Kao, everything is in order for you and Mia. Arthur hasn't moved or did anything actually since you left to get Mia" said Dustin.

"I know, soldier," Kao nodded, "I can sense everything going on in that room, but thank you." She turned to Mia, "Well, Mia, I hope things will start to change. May the Force be with you." With that, the Jedi Master gave the young woman's shoulder an encouraging squeeze and then departed, signaling for the clones to stay behind and keep watch.

Mia sighed heavily and then pushed the button to open the door. Straightening out, she stepped over the threshold, prepared for whatever happened.

Arthur had his back to the door of his cell and not being totally focused thought his master came back in, "Giving me another pick me up lecture?" he asked calmly, not turning around to face her. Mia gulped and tried to put on a smile, "In trouble as always, Arthur?" She fiddled with her hands nervously and looked back at the door, having second thoughts.

Arthur got up quickly after hearing Mia's voice, "I'm sorry," he said realizing how harsh he sounded before continuing, "How are you doing?" he asked concerned for her wellbeing, since she was tortured by Enkado for weeks, and he knew how rough those could get.

"How do you think?" she said, meaning for it to sound teasing, but it came out harsh as well. Her anger at Arthur for getting in so much trouble seeped out and she frowned at him. "Worse now," Mia breathed out in a huff.

Arthur felt her anger toward him, and let his show a little, "I'm sorry that I gave up everything to look for the one person I care most about than anyone" he said, before he pulled back his anger and began to calm down.

Mia stepped forwards and delivered a sharp slap to the face. "Don't you dare blame _your_ situation on _me_," she shouted, seething. "Green and the ARCs rescued me regardless. You had the choice of following orders. I would rather have died in that compound than be responsible for you going on trial. _You_ are at fault, Arthur. There's no one to blame but yourself."

"I wasn't blaming you" he said frustrated, "What I wanted to say came out wrong" he reasoned, before giving out a long sigh and sitting down on his not so comfortable chair, "I know I messed up, it's the only thing I was ever good at" he said, covering his face with his hands, slightly rubbing where Mia slapped him.

"Yeah," Mia scoffed, "You came off as a fekking jerk. And stop saying that you're "bad at this" and "no use" for that. It's getting on my fierfekking nerves! You'll never become a Jedi or make it through this trial if you do that. Your Master is frustrated because you always doubt yourself, and so am I." She narrowed her eyes at Arthur and shook her head. "You don't understand, do you?" she asked rhetorically.

Arthur looked back up at her, "What I meant to say was that you mean everything to me and I would go through hell and back for you," he said, he looked at those electric blue eyes and even though Mia was beat badly and not at her best, he still felt those eyes digging deep within him.

Mia's gaze softened for a moment, but then returned with fury. "I don't like the sentiment that you would betray your Master's orders and endanger lives for my sake." She crossed her arms over her chest and eyed him carefully.

"Well it won't happen often then," he replied, "I barely see you anymore and it kills me inside. Seeing Kao and Green together everyday makes me wonder about you, and it hurts" he replied, he knew he had already had a deep grave dug with everyone else, that he might as well have Mia be angry with him as well.

"No, it won't happen ever again," she said, waving a hand for emphasis, "Understand me? Their orders are meant to save lives, so you need to follow them. Arthur, I understand that me being away is putting a wedge between us, but we both knew this would happen...that I wouldn't always be there. Don't be jealous of your Master and her fiance, be happy for them."

"Wait a second. Fiance?" he asked. He knew about them being together, but didn't know about this, "And how do you know?" he asked bewildered. He forgot about their argument just for a couple seconds.

"Oh," Mia closed her eyes and felt like slapping _herself_. "Well," she started, opening her eyes, looking at Arthur cautiously, "When you had your Force-induced panic attack and Patch sedated you, he told me that your Master and the marshal are most likely engaged or going to be engaged. It wouldn't surprise me if it happened after we rescued her."

"Hope it works out for them" he said. "Look, for what it is worth, I'm sorry for throwing everything away to try and rescue you alone. Kao wouldn't let me bring the clones to help, so I tried to run and go get you alone. I know how stupid I was now and I will never do it again" Arthur said looking away and at his cold food that he still never touched.

"Good," Mia said, lowering her arms, "You know, they look really happy. They obviously figured something out, so maybe we can, too?"

Arthur reestablished eye contact with Mia, and looked like he was about to say something in response when the doors to the cell opened. Master Kao stepped in and looked at the two. "Sorry to cut your conversation short, but Patch wants Mia back in the infirmary," the Jedi rolled her eyes, "He wants to make sure you didn't catch any diseases that you might spread to our men."

Mia made to leave, but Arthur got up and stopped her, "Mia" he said as he got up. Before Arthur realized what he was doing, he put his hand around Mia's waist and the other moved through her shoulder length, red hair, till it was behind her head and his lips collided with hers.

She was shocked at first, but then smiled and returned the kiss. Oni, on the other hand, stood there with a "get a room" look and started tapping her foot, though a smirk grew on her face. Arthur, though against what he did, broke the kiss, and didn't look Mia in the eyes, "Um...sorry" he said, nervous.

Kao rolled her eyes in amusement and motioned for Mia to follow her. The teenager turned to Arthur and gave a half smile as she pulled away, "I hope I get to see you again before the trial." Without saying anything else, she spun on her heels and followed the Jedi Master out of the cell.

Oni turned to the younger woman with a smile. "I hope I didn't come off as rude, but," she started, "I just want you two to know that you have to be very...sneaky about these things. Green and I had our fair share of getting caught, so I don't want you and Arthur to get in trouble."

Mia gave a nod to the Jedi Master, "I understand" she said, slightly worried was going to happen to Arthur, sure he messed up a lot, but he was always reliable and could get himself out of any jam he was in.

"If Arthur cooperates," Oni said, trying to pull a smile, "He'll be forgiven."

**(The Jedi Temple, thirty minutes before the Council hearing) **

Oni paced back and forth in her quarters, running her hands through her golden brown hair anxiously. "What can I do if the Council expels him? Or worse...turns him over to the Senate?" she asked frantically, stopping in her inconsistent strides to peer at Green, who sat on her bed, inspecting his DC-15A while he listened to her worries. The marshal looked up, barely registering that she had spoken. "Uh…."

Kao gave him no time to answer and kept walking about. "I mean, his actions couldn't be that incriminating, could they?" she asked, as though she were speaking in her head and not out loud.

"Well, he did-" Green sighed as Oni once again interrupted him, continuing. "He's just a kid, Green," croaked the woman, who started tearing up. "Oni," the commander called out softly. She exhaled heavily and rubbed her tired face, "I tried to put in a good word for him, but they didn't really listen…"

"Oni."

"...Even Plo Koon," Kao scoffed, "And here I thought he would be the most sympathetic…"

"Cyar'ika…"

"...Oh, what am I going on about?" she paused, glancing at her lightsabers, which she had placed up her nightstand, "I have only myself to blame for-"

"ONI!"

The Jedi Master jolted a bit at the commander's rough, drill sergeant tone. Looking over at him with narrowed eyes, she dared to call out. "What?!"

Green had ripped his helmet off and glared at Kao. "Stop talking like that," he said firmly, "You hate it when Arthur does it, so stop it. Whatever happens today was meant to happen. Isn't that what your old Master said?" Oni frowned at him and scoffed. "I can't believe you're using my own words against me right now," she exhaled.

Green smirked, "I am good at that, aren't I?" But then his face turned serious and sympathetic, "Arthur will make it through. If the Council decides that his path is not that of a Jedi's...well, there's nothing you can do."

Oni sighed and nodded, accepting the possibility of losing another student. She crossed her arms as Green stood up and strode over to her. "Okay?" he asked for confirmation as he pulled her in for a hug, "There's nothing you can do." Kao took a deep breath and nodded again. Moments later, her commlink beeped.

The Council was ready.

**Resist: Well, hope you guys enjoyed and don't forget to review and let me and Echo know what you guys think.**

**Echo: New story in the works, so prepare yourselves for a twist.**

**Arthur: Can't wait. Peace out readers.**

**Resist: Also, if you guys haven't, make sure to check out the story, Bond Between Master and Apprentice, it takes place between Chapters 4 and 5 of this one.**


	17. Starting Over Part I

**Echo: Why, hello, humans...*peeks out from dark hood* **

**Resist: Um, aren't we humans? *whispering to Echo***

***Echo just narrows her eyes at him* **

**Oni: *whispers to Resist* You haven't seen her in person….she cray-cray…**

**Resist: *whispering reply* Yeah, I picked up on that. Anyway, *turning to readers* Hope you guys enjoy this chapter.**

**Green: As always, Resist and Echo don't own anything….really….like….at all**

**Echo: *fake laughs* We don't own Star Wars or any of its characters. Thanks for reading! **

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Starting Over

**(Council chambers) **

Windu looked to the Chamber's entrance to see Master Kao arriving precisely on time with her Padawan, who to the council, has become a slight thorn in the side. This Padawan, Arthur Perry, has been in front of the Council for reckless behavior countless times and is only at the beginning of his journey. Perry's leash has shortened and with this new development, Windu wasn't sure how the outcome would turn out.

"Master Kao, please stand with your Padawan for now, and give us your account of what happened on Delphon" he ordered, though his voice was not raised nor did it carry any foul emotion toward her or her padawan.

Oni sighed and stepped forwards next to Arthur. "Arthur was ordered to remain on General Tano's cruiser while Marshal Commander Alpha-3 and I gathered up information on local gang activity on the planet surface. He disobeyed orders and took a gunship down to the surface, accompanying Delta Force on a top secret mission. It is to my understanding that he almost killed a man using the Force and then went rogue for a short period of time. Tano tried to apprehend him, only for him to reveal he knew the location of stolen Republic weaponry. My Padawan wanted to use the weapons as ransom for an acquaintance who was being held hostage by the gang leader. Due to the illegal nature of his proposal, General Tano and I opted to call in reinforcements rather than turn over the guns.

She paused to make eye contact with her fellow Councilmen, also with Arthur. "However, Arthur made an attempt at escaping and would have succeeded if Delta Force hadn't aided my team in apprehending and arresting him." Oni's face went blank and she awaited any further questions. She hated the fact that she had to, for the lack of a better term, tattle on her own Padawan. But, if he does not face the consequences of his actions, he might be pulled further towards the Dark Side as Dooku predicted.

Windu then turned his gaze to the Padawan that stood by his master, "Do you have anything to add Padawan?" he asked Arthur.

Arthur had remained silent through his master's description, something that he didn't do the last council meetings he has had. Arthur looked up at Master Windu, and shook his head, "No Master" was all he said. Kao was proud that he did not choose to defend himself and possibly damage his case further. Master Windu is not a Jedi to pick a fight with.

Oni looked around at her fellow Councilmen, analyzing their faces. She saw the tired, battle-worn face that she always tried to conceal. Narrowing her golden brown gaze, the woman turned to gaze out of the Chamber windows. Life on Coruscant was practically normal even in war, but here before her is the evidence that times really have changed. Before the war, Jedi did not wear these faces or point fingers at one another when something went wrong.

The Jedi Master resisted the urge to shake her head. Everything felt wrong now. Had Arthur done what he had a few years ago, he would not be brought before the Council on terms of insubordination; he would have been sentenced to some meager punishment. Training Younglings for a few weeks, maybe? Oni felt confused and trapped. What have the Jedi been forced into? What have they become?

"Outside you two must go. Punishment to discuss we have," came the raspy voice of the old and wise green Jedi Master. Arthur and Oni made their way out the chamber doors and waited to be called back in. The female Jedi had a calm expression as usual, but her thoughts and eyes betrayed her. They displayed the growing frustration and anger boiling inside, like a volcano ready to erupt.

Oni had calmly taken a seat on a bench that was outside the entrance to the Jedi Council, while Arthur paced back and forth in front of her. As he paced in front of her, he was chewing on one of his nails.

Kao hardly noticed visually, but felt his anxiety. "You're not helping, young one," she said without emotion. Oni was bottling up her feelings again; pushing them into a safe and locking them away for later...for another time. Fixing her armor, she brushed off her battle skirt and folded her hands in her lap. Her eyes seemed to focus and lock onto something, but nothing. They widened for a moment and she snapped her head off towards the hallway to her left. Her eyes scanned the space, as if someone had called out her name. Shaking her head, she turned back to Arthur.

"I'm sorry. I just feel like I finally got a grip on the bigger picture and I don't want to get kicked out, before I can even prove to anyone that I can be better," he said still pacing and biting his nails.

Oni sighed, "This is war, Arthur...the rules have….changed. I don't know if the Council is willing to give fourth chances." She glanced back down the hallway, her eyes focusing as she tilted her head.

Arthur walked to the end of the hallway closest to his master and banged his head on the wall, "I'm finished. There is no way they let me back in" he said as he slowly sank down to the floor. Kao snapped her gaze towards him and glared. "Arthur!" the woman scolded, "Seriously! The whole self-doubt thing is really trying my patience!" She scoffed and sat back on the bench, folding her arms across her chest in a pissed-off manner.

Arthur flinched, "You would too, if you completely struck out against a council of very powerful people who could kill you with a simple look. Kinda like the one that's on your face right now" he replied, hoping to lighten the mood a bit.

"No, I didn't, thank you very much," Oni said coldly, "I stood there and accepted my mistakes. I accepted that I had messed up and that I needed to suffer the consequences and try harder to achieve my goals. I didn't let me indulge in self-deprecation." Kao huffed and glared at the floor, "This is no joking matter, Arthur. This is _serious_."

"I know" he said, looking to the floor, nervousness was easily noticeable. He looked at his master, but quickly looked away and back to the floor when she made eye contact with him. He had tried to lighten the mood, but she shot it down pretty quickly. He wished he could start over and be more obedient if this was where he was going to end up.

"All of this is the reason why I told you to do what Green and I say and when we say it," Oni started, still looking at him, "You do understand now that this is the reason why?"

Arthur nodded his head, "Yes I understand" he still didn't look at her. He was ashamed and angry with himself about not realizing or understanding things that he now understood, but he felt that he was a little too late.

"Patience, Arthur," Oni sighed, "Patience."

**(Ten minutes later) **

The Temple Guards escorted Oni and Arthur back into the Council Chambers, where fate was yet to be witnessed. Both the Jedi Master and the Padawan bowed in respect as the Councilmen glued their eyes to the pair.

"We have reached a decision," Windu spoke up after receiving a confirming glance from Yoda. "Arthur Perry, we believe that you are not yet ready to take on the pressures of being a Learner. You are to report to the Mountain Pass Clan for further training. We will assess you at a later time to see if you meet the requirements of becoming an apprentice."

Oni felt her stomach twist into a knot and she blinked a few times before shutting her eyes closed tight.

Arthur bowed in respect, "Yes master" and he turned to leave the Council chambers and do as he was told. _At least I wasn't completely kicked out, _he thought as he made his way out of the chambers. He made his way past his master, but didn't make eye contact. He didn't want to see the look on her face. He probably would never see her again, or at least not be her Padawan. He figured he might pass her in the halls of the temple while doing Clan stuff.

Kao turned to Windu as soon as Arthur was gone and sighed. "Master, please," said Oni, "I know he's reckless, but Yoda assigned him to me to teach me a lesson, a lesson I don't yet know. Why are you taking the boy out from underneath my wing?"

Yoda surprised Oni by speaking up. "Ready for a Padawan, you are not, Oni." She stared at him, completely dumbfounded. "Then why did you assign him to me?" she asked. Yoda chuckled, "To teach you a lesson, I wanted. Ready for anything, you thought you were. Proven yourself wrong, you have."

"I understand, but," Oni looked around frantically, "What am I if not ready to teach a pupil?" Yoda laughed again and looked to Windu, nodding. The far younger Councilman turned to the others. "This meeting is adjourned." The Jedi Masters stood up, bowed, and retreated. Only Yoda, Windu, and Kao were left in the Chambers.

"Please, sit," Windu said, gesturing towards Oni's seat, which has been empty for weeks due to her constant call to battle. Once the woman had taken her spot and glanced back over, he continued. "Arthur is dangerous, Oni," he said, "The Council discussed this many times and we believe the darkness in his heart is too risky. We were wrong to push him into your hands, as you are not yet ready to teach the older, more stubborn Padawans."

Kao looked over at Yoda, who was smiling grimly. "What are you suggesting?"

"That you start teaching Younglings," Windu answered, "The war has taken away many of our teachers. Besides, your new position will keep you within the Core Worlds most of the time, so you'll be able to pass on your knowledge easier."

"Wait," Oni held up a hand and sat on the edge of her seat, "New position?" She knew this was coming one day, but not this soon.

**(Arthur)**

Arthur walked down the hall, he was glad that he wasn't completely kicked out of the Jedi Order, but he didn't want to be bumped back down to a 'Youngling' again. He knew it was his fault and that his arrogance had lead him to this point. The thought of just leaving crossed his mind, but only for a split second, _What is a man who can't face his consequences head on?_

He wouldn't admit it outloud, but this whole situation he was in had made him see the error in his ways and he felt stronger, wiser, and more relaxed when around others. He didn't feel like the reckless, and angered boy he was when he first started. He knew that person was still inside him, but he felt like he had better control over himself. It figured that he would finally be able to tame the beast inside him when it was too late. He figured the Council would never let him rise back up to the ranks of Padawan ever again, _not when Master Kao is going to be given her new position in the coming days, _he thought, _I'll be stuck in this Clan forever._

**(Council Room with Oni)**

"Yes," replied Mace, "While you were on Delphon, the Council discussed who should receive the title of Master of the Order now that I cannot carry it." His words processed in Oni's head, but she didn't change her facial expression of pure shock. "Oni," Windu continued, "We believe you are ready for this responsibility."

Kao scoffed, "But not for the privilege of teaching a student?" She wasn't expressing anger, rather confusion. Yoda hummed, earning her attention. "Ready to teach his calibre, you are not. Have the ability to pass knowledge onto the younger students, you do. Made its decision, the Council has."

Oni nodded, a smile slowly forming. "Thank you, Masters," she paused, "But...wouldn't that mean I would be stationed here on Coruscant? What of my men?" Her questions got the two elder Masters thinking. Mace answered. "Alpha-3 and the Tenth Star Corps will remain under your command," he said, "But we'd only send you out when absolutely necessary. Until then, you and the Rangers will stay on Coruscant as security detail."

Kao sighed, knowing that even though Green would be on the planet with her, it would be ten times harder for them to be alone together. It was another obstacle that they would have to face. "Alright," Oni spoke softly, "I accept the offer." Her own words pained her, but she knew she had a duty to the Jedi Order. Passing on knowledge to the youth was a part of being a Master and an experienced Jedi. The woman sat up straight and looked Yoda and Windu in the eyes, so that they knew she was serious.

**(Arthur)**

Arthur made his way through the temple till he was able to find the Mountain Pass Clan. He was nervous and his adrenaline was rushing, mostly from the Council meeting. He hoped that he would become Oni's Padawan again, but he would have to prove he was ready and the first step was to meet the Clan, so he entered the room where they were at.

The first thing he noticed was that the room was full of familiar faces. To be specific, it was the faces of the Padawans he and Oni took to Illum for the Gathering. They all stared at him in shock, noticing his Padawan braid was gone and that he didn't look all too happy.

The gray-skinned Togruta, Meela, spoke up. "Padawan Perry! Where's Master Kao?" she asked, looking around Arthur as if Oni would suddenly pop out.

Arthur looked behind him as well, hoping Master Kao was there as well, but he knew she wasn't going to be. "I ummm, well she is at a meeting and I've been made a Youngling, because I got in trouble. I tried to rescue someone, but I put a lot of clone's lives at risk, and so I went rogue, so only I was at risk, but I was caught and arrested for insubordination and now I'm here," he told her and the others that were now listening.

All of the children gasped in some way and stared at him with dropped jaws. "B-but," Meela started, but couldn't finish.

Arthur couldn't say anything else to them. He looked at their shocked faces and dropped jaws and he felt pain. These same kids looked up to him when they went on their Gathering trip. He felt like he betrayed them. "I'm sorry" is all he said.

"Why?" the Twi'lek boy, Nab'sike, asked, narrowing his gaze and closing his mouth, "Why are you saying sorry to us?" One of the twins, the blonde one, smiled. "Yeah, you didn't do anything to hurt _us_," he said, trying to give support.

Arthur gave a slight smile, "You looked up to me. I was stubborn, reckless, and didn't follow orders. I'm not a role model to admire to become. I am trying to fix that though" he said, looking at the blond haired twin.

"But you are," the brunette twin, Arin, said, "You accepted your mistakes...and are now dealing with the consequences."

Arthur gave her a smile, "Thanks, but I shouldn't have made the mistakes in the first place. I should have known better and listened to Master Kao in the first place." Meela tilted her head to the side as she nodded, "Yes, but now you know that you messed up. It's better to feel guilt and know your mistake, than to be ignorant and keep making it over and over again. Don't you agree?"

Arthur nodded at her, "Yes, it is" he said, before deciding to change the subject, "So what are we doing now?" he asked. He was told to report to the Clan, but he wasn't sure what to do once he got here.

"Well," Arin began, sitting on his bedroll, "We usually meditate before our lightsaber practice. I heard we're getting a new Master today, so I'm not sure what form we'll be working on today."

"Oh?" He said, having a weird feeling, "Best not keep them waiting" he said, but realized he still had his personal possessions in a bag he had over his shoulder. He looked at the empty bedrolls, "Uh, which one is mine?" he asked.

"You can have the one next to Amer," Meela said as she sat down on her own bedroll. She saw the look of confusion on Arthur's face and pointed to the blonde twin, "That's Amer."

Arthur shook the boy's hand and sat his bag on the bedroll, "How are you guys doing with your lightsabers?" he asked. "Good," Nab'sike, the Twi'lek, answered, "We've been learning a bit of Soresu from Master Yoda."

"Nice, well when are these lessons? Can't wait to see who the teacher is going to be" he added the last part, though he had an idea, and wasn't looking forward to it.

"I'm hoping for Master Fisto or Kenobi," Arin said, "Kit brings us outside for training and Kenobi actually duels with us." Arthur smirked, "I could always duel with you. I always get my butt handed to me with Oni or other Jedi we meet on our journeys," he said, looking at Arin, while giving a chuckle.

Meela and Arin gave each other a look. "Well, it's all up to the teacher on who gets to train with who," the Togruta said, "You haven't been a Youngling before, so there's a lot you need to catch up on."

Arthur smirked, "If the teacher is who I think it is, then I will be catching up pretty quickly," said Arthur, before losing his smirk, "Should we go to class now?" He asked, not sure when they actually left for class. "No, we meditate first," Amer said quietly, sitting down on his bedroll. He closed his eyes and folded his hands in his lap. The other Younglings followed suit and sat down. Arthur followed their lead, since he was the newb and quickly started to meditate on his bedroll, after moving his bag out of his way.

**(Training Room)**

Oni walked into the Training chamber, ready to teach her first class that day. Master Yoda had informed her that Aayla Secura, the main teacher of this group, was called back to battle and needed a Master to fill in for her. Windu had assigned her to the Rancor Clan in the days following, so she knew she shouldn't get too attached to these students.

She was surprised to see the same Younglings that she and Arthur took to Illum. She then noticed the slightly older student among them. It was Arthur. However, Kao maintained her composure and gave each student a warm smile. "It's good to see you all again," she said with a respectful bow, "How has your training gone since the last time I've seen you?"

Arthur continued to look at his crossed legs and tried to keep his eyes closed. He didn't want to look at her because it would just remind him of things he was trying to move past. He also felt that he didn't deserve to look at her, since he failed her so many times. The other Younglings however were full of energy and really pleased to see Master Kao, "I'm the best with the lightsaber!" shouted Meela as she raced forward to greet the Jedi Master. "I'm the best pilot by far!" bragged Arin.

Oni laughed lightly and rested a hand on Meela's shoulder. "You all are indeed ready to become a Padawan. All you need to do now is pass your Initiation. Then a Master or Knight will choose you as an apprentice."

Arthur allowed a faint smile on his face, but continued to try and not make eye contact with his former master. Meela on the other hand was trying to stop herself from jumping up and down. Arthur could tell that all of these Younglings worked hard at becoming a Padawan and he hoped to follow as well. He wouldn't admit it, but the short time he has been around them, he feels they are his role models. He hopes to also live up to what they expect of him as well.

"Alright," Kao started, "What forms have you been working on with Master Fisto? I heard you children like going outside to practice katas with him…"

Amer then spoke up, "We are starting to learn Soresu. Master Secura was suppose to start teaching us about it today" he said, giving a smile to Master Kao.

"She's very talented with the lightsaber," Oni smiled and then unclipped her right hilt. Using the Force, she levitated it into the air and sat down on the floor, the weapon floating above her lap. "I hope that each of you one day will be able to achieve skills like the ones she possesses. Now, take out your lightsabers."

Arthur didn't make any move to make himself more noticeable to Master Kao and just did as she said, using the force to levitate his weapon in front of him, still not looking at her. The other Younglings scrambled to get their lightsabers out and follow Master Kao's instructions.

"What do you see in front of you," the Jedi Master asked. When she saw their confused faces, she continued, "I don't see just a lightsaber...I see my life and the life of others. Understand this, children: your lightsaber is your life and you are responsible for what you do with it. Your life and the life of those around you are in your hands when you wield this weapon."

Arthur remembered his first lightsaber being taken by Grievous and though Green had helped him through this part of his past before, he still felt responsible for what Grievous would do with his blade. The Younglings all looked at their lightsabers and nodded their heads in agreement with Master Kao, "What about Arthur's first lightsaber being taken by Grievous?" asked the Twi'lek boy, Nab'sike. Arthur visibly winced at the question.

"Whatever Grievous does with the weapon is on him, for it is his hand that wields it," Oni said casually. She didn't even flinch at the mention of her former Padawan or the loss of his first lightsaber; she wouldn't allow herself to dwell on it.

Arthur visibly twitched again after his former Master answered the question. Though he moved on from his past, the subject was still an uneasy one for him. Arthur stole a glance at his former Master but quickly looked away for fear of meeting her eyes. The twin, Amer, couldn't wait to start learning Soresu from Master Kao that he couldn't contain his excitement, "When are we gonna learn to use Soresu from you, Master Kao?" he asked rather excitedly.

Kao chuckled, "Patience, young one. You and your clanmates will learn soon enough. Remember, the path of a Jedi is a long and tedious process. Only those who have the will to wait and put in the time will become a Knight. Even then, you will face trials for the rest of your life." She paused and glanced at every Youngling, including Arthur. "I see each and every one of you becoming strong users of the Force. Some of you will go on to be Healers, others will choose the path of Guardian or Sentinel. But to get to that point, you need to have _patience_."

Meela tilted her head, her small lekku swaying as she did so. "How long does it take to become a Knight, Master?" Oni looked off in thought before answering. "It is not set in stone. Many Jedi spend over a decade learning from their Masters. It's rare, but some can finish their training and pass the Trials in five or so years. I can't tell you for sure."

Arthur couldn't help but think about how awkward the whole situation in front of him was. After being torn away from Master Kao, after being deemed not worthy of carrying the weight that came with being a Padawan, and made a Youngling, here he was learning from her again. He felt as if the Force enjoyed playing these types of games with him.

Amer shook his head. "I don't understand, Master. If some Jedi are more prepared than others, why do we have to be of a certain age to become a Padawan?" Meela and Nab'sike nodded their heads, affirming their confusion as well. Oni sighed as she put together a response, "Well, we want every Youngling to have the same opportunity to achieve the title of Padawan, so we hold Initiation trials when you turn fifteen."

"Is this why Arthur wasn't a Youngling when he joined? Since he was already fifteen?" asked Meela, who looked at Arthur, who was still levitating his lightsaber in front of him with his eyes closed. Oni nodded, "Yes, this was one of the determining factors. But the main reason was because we believed one on one training would help with his quarrel with the Dark Side."

Arthur knew they were talking about him, but he didn't really care. He could hear the concern in the Younglings' voices when they asked questions about him. He did lift an eye slightly to see everyone's faces before closing it again and concentrating on his lightsaber. "His quarrel?" asked Arin.

"Yes," Kao started, "Arthur, due to not having someone to teach him how to control his power when he was younger, endured pulls to the Dark Side of the Force. He wasn't fully converted, but still needed guidance back to the Light."

"Has it ever….um...consumed him?" asked Meela, concern for her friend evident in her voice.

Kao glanced over at Arthur. "I believe he should explain for you. Only he can tell you what it did to him."

Arthur hesitantly lifted one eyelid and saw pairs of eyes on him that showed concern and interest in his past, "It pulls at me constantly, though I have gotten better at keeping it at bay thanks to Master Kao and Master Tano's teachings. It hurts and feels cold. However, I always blackout and have no control over my actions until someone tells me what happened" he explained, giving a quick glance to his former Master, and then focused on the Younglings again. "Have you ever witnessed it?" asked Ameer to Master Kao.

"His encounters?" Oni asked rhetorically, "Yes, I have witnessed one before. It's hard for a Master to see their apprentice struggling, knowing that it is your job to help them."

"What was it like?" Asked Amer, interested and concerned for Arthur. Though Arthur didn't mind them talking about him, he felt like this conversation was going a little too far, but he said and showed nothing that would tell them that he didn't approve of the conversation. He decided that if they knew what happened to him, then they would be able to learn from his mistakes.

"He was completely enraged and willing to destroy anything in his path," Oni said honestly, "That is what the Dark Side turns you into: a destructive monster with no thought of repercussions."

"Sorry if we crossed some kind of line Master Kao" replied Meela, looking at Arthur. She was by far the most advanced of the group and could sense things before the others. She could feel Arthur's uneasiness and tried to stop the conversation before the others would sense it.

"Sometimes a Jedi must go beyond their comfort zone to learn and adapt, Meela," Kao said. Looking at all of the Younglings, she stood up. "I'll be nice today," she chuckled, "Let's go outside and practice Soresu."

The Younglings got really excited about this and stood up right away, ready to learn. Arthur was a little bit slower to do so, since it was his first lesson, and didn't see the difference between outside and inside, though he figured he would be here long enough to see why the others enjoyed going outside, _since the Council doesn't really like me_, he thought. As he and the Younglings made to leave the room, he didn't make eye contact with Master Kao as he walked past her.

**Resist: Well that's another chapter down and plenty more to come, at least till Order 66 anyway…**

**Arthur: What's Order 66? *asks cautiously***

**Echo:uh…..NOTHING! *pushes Arthur out of the room* Phew...that was close **

**Resist: Yeah *wipes sweat from forehead* Sorry about that.**

**Echo: *un-breaks fingers* Thank you all so much for reading and supporting Resist and I. We really appreciate it. Please stop by again for our next chapter! Have a great day!**

**Resist: *waves hand in front of readers* You will type a review for Echo and I….**

**Arthur: Just a reminder, Make sure to check out the other Star Wars story that takes place between Chapters 4 and 5 of this one. It's on Resist's page. Make sure to leave a review, he's still waiting for the first one for that story, which is titled The Bond Between Master and Apprentice**


	18. Starting Over Part II

**Resist: Que Star Wars Music… (Arthur hits button on Resist's iPod)**

**Resist (Announcer Voice): After being demoted and getting sent to the Mountain Pass Clan, Arthur must climb his way back to the ranks of Padawan by regaining the Jedi Council's trust. Surprisingly, Arthur finds that the clan is the same that he and Master Kao took on their Gathering trip. We now join him on his way to a class about Soresu…**

**Resist: I think that was pretty good.**

**Echo: Dang, you should announce TV commercials with that voice! **

**Resist (Announcer Voice): Coming soon to own on DVD…. The Journey featuring all of your favorite Echo/Resist OCs. Pretty catchy I say. **

**Echo: Haha, I agree. Well, folks, thanks for stopping by, we hope you enjoy the journey….no pun intended...Don't forget to leave a review at the end! **

**Arthur (speaking really really fast): Echo and Resist would like to let you know that they don't own Star Wars or any of its characters, just their OCs that they made up. We hope you all enjoy the following chapter….**

Arthur was roaming the halls of the Jedi Temple, his new slightly permanent position. Arthur was reading his datapad about Soresu, so he could study up more when he meets Master Secura for his next class. He wasn't paying attention and bumped into something that felt like clone armour.

"Green! Sorry" replied Arthur, taking the outstretched hand from the clone commander. The now ARC trooper huffed and pulled off his bucket. "Where you headed, kid?" He asked solemnly. He's seen the worst side of this whole ordeal, having witnessed Oni's true reaction to her Padawan being demoted, and he _wasn't_ in a good mood.

"Just walking and studying up on Soresu before class. What's up?" asked Arthur, not sure why Green was at the Jedi Temple. He hadn't seen any of the clones in the Tenth Star Corps since being demoted to Youngling.

"Mas-Oni and I are headed off to Hoth tomorrow morning," Green gave a half smile, though it only emphasized the gloom feeling surrounding them, "She asked me to come over for tonight. She's not taking the situation too well."

"She seemed cool at the lesson she gave us Younglings the other day," replied Arthur, though he knew she was probably hiding her true emotions. She was always good at hiding them, and he learned from her on how to do so, though he wasn't as good as her.

"You obviously didn't see her _after_ the lesson," Green chuckled darkly, "Oni hasn't left her room since."

Arthur frowned at this. He was learning to accept his new post and tried to make the best of it, in hopes of becoming Master Kao's Padawan once again. "Take me to her" he asked, or more like ordered Green, "Please" he added quickly.

Green sighed, "Kid, I don't think she's in the mood for talking. She definitely didn't want to talk about it the last time I was there."

"I don't care. I want to talk to her. If she yells at me then oh well" came his stern reply. He wanted to talk to his former master before she left for Hoth. The marshal responded to this with a shrug. "Alright, Arthur, but if she does, don't say I didn't warn you. Oh...and don't let her know that you know I go there, got it? I'm just going to drop you off." The clone slipped on his bucket and gestured for Arthur to follow him.

**(Dorm Hall in the Jedi Temple)**

Arthur approached the door that was Oni's room. He went to knock but his hand paused in mid air, afraid to do so. He then finished his hand's motion and quietly knocked on the door. After waiting a little with no answer, he turned to walk away, a frown plastered on his face.

The sound of the door swooshing open split through the air and the Jedi Master stood there with her arms folded. "Arthur? Can I help you?" She asked.

"Can I help you? Is more like it" he asked, folding his arms as well, "You may be difficult to read, but not impossible." Kao raised a brow cautiously, "Excuse me?"

Arthur narrowed his eyes at her, "Don't lie to me master. I can feel your emotions you know?" he then raised one eyebrow at her. "Stop copying me," Oni said, without emotion, though it was firm and intimidating, "If I wish to share my feelings with you, then I would have gone to you to talk about them."

"I copy you cause it irritates you, but if that is all you want to say, then may the force be with you at Hoth." Arthur turned to walk away. He knew if she didn't want to talk to him, then there was no point in trying to get her talk to him about her feelings.

Oni shook her head and reached over to close the door. Taking one last look at Arthur, she hit the button, a disappointed look on her face. Arthur walked back to her door, and without knocking spoke loud enough for his voice to go carry through the door, "I just want you to know that I'm ok and accept this temporary position as a Youngling and that I know you cried after the council meeting" and with that he turned to go to his own room.

Inside her room, Oni was sitting on her bed, contemplating Arthur's words. At his last comment, she frowned. Green had _told_ him. And how would have Arthur known she were there if Green hadn't _told_ him? Kao grew angry at this and looked off with fiery amber eyes. "I hope our ship gets shot down on Hoth," the Jedi Master said with gritted teeth as she grabbed her lightsabers and prepped for her departure in the morning.

**(Later that Day) **

Arthur had his blade ignited and up in a defensive position. There across the training room was none other than Jedi Master Aayla Secura, who also had her blade out. Arthur had studied Soresu all day except for when he tried to chat with his former master, which really distracted him for the rest of the day, and was now trying to focus on his fight with Master Secura.

"Arthur," the Twi'lek started, taking a step back from the young man and lowering her blade, "What's troubling you? I have never seen a Youngling so unfocused in training."

"My former master, she won't open up about her feelings when she needs to" replied Arthur, dodging a swing from Aayla, who had closed the gap after asking the question. Secura raised a brow, "Needs to?" She sighed and put away her lightsaber, "Arthur, helping someone cope with their feelings is one thing...trying to make them cope with them is another."

"Yes master" replied Arthur bowing to the esteemed Master. Arthur then smirked and quickly ignited his blade and tried to quickly strike Aayla Secura, but she was ready for him and blocked it with ease. He tried not to let his emotions show in his head, but fighting the great Jedi Knight was a good distraction for him.

The other Younglings watched the fight with great excitement and focus, trying to learn all they could from the two Jedi locking their blades together. Aayla looked upon Arthur's moves with admiration. "You've learned a lot, young one," she complimented.

"Not enough to become my master's padawan though" replied Arthur, quickly trying to get behind the Jedi Knight. Secura frowned at this and easily prevented the Youngling from doing so, her blade blocking his way. "You being demoted to Youngling had nothing to do with your skill, Arthur."

Arthur quickly spun and tried to swing at her other side. He kept his feet moving trying to dance around her, hoping to find a kink in her defense. "I know" replied Arthur, anger was easily recognizable in his voice. As he said those words, the force behind his blow with the lightsaber got stronger, showing his anger on the situation.

Amer and Arin looked at each other with concerned looks while Meela and Nab'sike frowned as they analyzed Arthur. Master Secura's eyes narrowed and increased the difficulty of the duel, trying to see where Arthur would go. Arthur, using The Force, pushes on Aayla, causing a gap to form between the two of them, but Arthur wastes no time in closing it and is immediately back in close quarter combat with her. He tries a series of continuous quick attacks with his blade on both sides of her, hoping that she won't be able to keep up with him and get a hit or two in.

But Aayla was baiting him. She knew that the anger was building up inside of him and allowed him to believe he had gained the upper hand before making her move. As soon as he seemed comfortable, Secura lashed out with a sequence of strikes that were strategically performed to corner Arthur and raise panic. Though straying away from Soresu and wandering towards Vaapad, Aayla knew that it would teach him to not let up on his enemies even for a moment, and to save victory for the end.

Arthur quickly started to backpedal and found his back against a wall. Aayla was able to move him across the room and now had him pinned. The Younglings, in order to get a good view of what was happening had to follow the pair across the room as well. Arthur was in a tight spot and to duck a few times to avoid Secura's blade several times. However, the last time he ducked to miss her blade, he was met with a knee to the chin, effectively knocking him to the ground, though he still had his blade up.

Secura did not push further than this. Instead, she backed off a few feet and waited for the Youngling to get up, knowing that she shouldn't force him somewhere too dark. "Your move, Arthur," Aayla said, "Remember what your master taught you."

Arthur got up with blazing speed, not wanting to be out done by Aayla again. They had fought before in training lessons, and Arthur had always lost, but he was beginning to make it a difficult challenge for her to win now. He did several high body strikes to keep her focused away from his true intent. After several swings, he went to sweep her legs out from under her, once he felt the window of opportunity open.

His move was met with little success, as the Jedi Master knew his thinking process by now. Aayla merely stepped aside and lowered her blade to meet Arthur's. She knew that he was frustrated at being demoted to a Youngling and that he was eager to earn his place as Padawan once more. But she also knew that he needed to learn patience. It might take years for the Council to trust him with the title again.

Their blades were locked together and both Jedi Knight and Youngling were pushing back and forth trying to out strengthen the other. Arthur was extremely tired and beat and was trying his hardest to last as long as he could, trying to prove to himself and the Jedi Council that he was ready to become a Padawan again.

Aayla did not want to draw the fight on for too long, as there were other students to teach. She also did not want to bring Arthur's hopes up too much. If he won, he might stay on the mindset that he'll be promoted soon and boost his ego; and if he lost, he would aspire to do better and know that this will not be an easy task. To fulfill this theory of hers, Secura pushed Arthur back and shifted the position of her blade so that she could knock it out of his hand. As the hilt clattered to the ground, the blade disappearing, Aayla deactivated hers and waited for Arthur's reaction.

Arthur stood up and brushed himself off and sighed deeply at another defeat to the Jedi Knight. He had lost count as to how many times he had lost to her, but he really thought that this was the fight he would finally win, but it turned out not to be. He summoned his lightsaber with the force and slowly made his way to the other Younglings.

Secura watched this with a heavy heart. She truly felt for the boy and understood his struggle. The path of a Jedi was never easy and one would face many obstacles that would deter any other being. She continued to watch as Arthur made it over to the other Younglings, who greeted him with smiles and pats on the shoulder. She saw him give a half smile at them, before she decided to continue on with today's lesson.

**Nine Months Later… **

Arthur, after his class, felt that he needed to get better with his skills with a lightsaber if he was to ever prove he could hold his own. He saw that the gym was open and decided to give the training simulations a shot. He decided to start with the same level that he struggled on aboard the _Akul. _He set the simulation to Level 9 and prepared to finally defeat the level.

He started off good and made quick work of the surrounding battle droids and super battle droids. He could feel his training kick in as he made his way through the level quicker than he did the last time he attempted it in the past. Once he finished dealing with the last pesky battle droid, the much tougher and smarter commando droids appeared all around him. Arthur braced for the fight and just like last time lost his momentum and took several vollies of fire to the chest and back.

Arthur had lost track of time since he first started the simulation. It was now almost curfew and Arthur still was in the gym trying to get passed the commando droids. He had lost count how many times he would make it to the same spot and get vollies of fire to his back and chest. Even though it wasn't real blaster fire, Arthur was sure he would scar because of how many times he had started over after failing.

Suddenly the program began to shut down and the droids went into charge mode. A whirring noise filled the room as the equipment cooled down. "Ahem," came a feminine voice.

Arthur was in mid swing about to cut down a droid when the simulation went dark. He spun around at the noise to come face to face with a stern look from Aayla Secura. Arthur merely stood there and waited to see what she had to say. This was something he didn't do when Master Kao caught him in the gym, which he regretted now.

"You'll find that when you try to force a shaak to drink water, he won't," Aayla said, "Do you know why this is?" Her only response to her question, was Arthur shaking his head. He was hesitant to speak because of the argument he got into with Master Kao after she walked in on him.

Secura smiled, "You cannot demand your way of things or skip too far ahead. You cannot start on level 9 because you believe mastering it will make you a Padawan. Guide the shaak to the river gently and slowly. Give it the option to drink the water and you will find that it is much easier to get it to drink in the future."

Arthur bowed his head in gratitude, "Thank you master" said Arthur, who wasn't sure of what else to say other than that. He was trying a to bottle up his feelings of the situation, something he learned from his former master.

Aayla acknowledged this without saying anything. "What are your problem areas when it comes to a level 9 course?" she asked. The Twi'lek Master wanted Arthur to identify and accept his flaws, rather than curse them and try to mask them.

Arthur stayed quiet for a little before speaking, "I don't know, I think it more mental than physical. I'm frustrated with current events" he said, not looking her in the eyes. Secura nodded, "And how are these current events mentally deterring you from completing the level?"

"I'm not focused. When I'm alone or when I sleep, I have dreams or I think of this situation I'm in. It's the only thing that goes through my mind" replied Arthur, still not looking. The Jedi Master sighed in thought, giving a slight hum. "Don't you agree that you should separate your mind from your body when in a fight? I'm sure your Master or one of the other Jedi have told you that our bodies are just tools of the Force. In a fight, you must be completely in tune with the Force. There's no room for anything else."

"I can't," replied Arthur, "When I'm with the other Younglings, I don't let it show how much this whole thing is affecting me, but it pulls at me constantly and I'm tired of fighting it" he said, finally making eye contact with the Jedi in front of him. Aayla did not appear affected by his words. "I don't sense a fight coming from you, young one. I sense that you are merely storing your conflict away. It's not pulling at you...it's building up. If you don't face your fears now, you'll explode. "I can't" really sounds like "I don't want to try".

"I do want to try master" reasoned Arthur. He got his lightsaber out and looked ready for Master Secura to start the simulation up again. Secura shrugged, "Alright then. But we're not starting on Level 9. Level 3 looks like a good starting point." The Twi'lek smirked as she started up the program.

**(Next Day)**

Arthur awoke the next morning and blinked several times before he was able to take in the sight around him. He looked at the surrounding bedrolls and noticed they were empty till his eyes fell on Meela, who was looking at him with a questioning look. She tilted her head, trying to see what he was thinking. Quietly, she sat up and waved him over.

"What?" Arthur asked quizzically, as he sat up from his bedroll and stretched. Meela looked around to make sure no one else was listening. "Why'd you show up late last night? You know we have a strict curfew, right?" she asked.

"I was working on some things and lost track of time" is all he said to her, not wanting to go into full detail, though he figured she already knew what he was going through since she was the star of the class and miles ahead of everyone else in the clan.

"Make a note not to do that in the future," she whispered, "Especially in your first few weeks here. They keep tabs on everything, and even the slightest notches on your record can get you held back."

"It's fine. Master Secura was with me. Ok fine" he started, giving in, "I have been bottling up my conflict inside me about this whole situation and tried to relieve my fear, anger, or whatever you want to call it on a training simulation and I struggled at the same part over and over until Master Secura helped me out with it, and she escorted me here, so I wouldn't get in trouble for being up past curfew" Arthur said, retelling last night's events. He felt better for getting mostly everything off his chest and waited for her reply.

Meela's eyes were slightly wide with surprise. She was shocked that he was actually talking about what was troubling him. He normally doesn't do that. "You know you can always ask us to train with you," she started, "We're your clanmates and we're all here to help each other out."

"I might take you up on that" he said with a small smile, "I thought handling this alone would work out better for everyone, but I think two heads might be better than one for this" he finished, slightly stretching some more and rubbing his sore muscles from all the training he packed in last night. Meela smiled before raising a brow. "And the others, too, right? No one gets left behind here. We all go at the same pace."

"Of course" replied Arthur with no hesitation. He went to move his arm to scratch his back, but it cracked and hurt as he moved it, "Ow" is all that came out of him. "You should go to the medical center before training today and get some bacta patches for your muscles. How difficult was the training program you tried?" she asked.

"Difficult enough. Master Secura picked the training programs and made me run them several times using different lightsaber forms. I thought she was tough when she trained us all together, but she is even more tough when it comes to one on one training" he replied back.

Meela was about to laugh before she stopped herself, remembering that their clanmates were still sleeping. "That's Aayla for you," she said, "She's tough, but it's for the best." The Togruta thought for a moment. "Master Kao was hard on you, right? She seems like the kind of teacher that wouldn't give slack for mistakes too often."

"You would be correct on that one," Arthur stated. He then gave a sigh, and pinched his nose with his fingers, "Whether it was something I said or did, it felt like I made mistake after mistake. We didn't really like each other at first I don't think" replied Arthur, trying to think back.

"Why?" Meela asked, tilting her head, "I mean, we could all sense the tension between the two of you, but why? The way I see it, you two have no reason to have been so distant with one another." The young girl glanced around the room to see that everyone was still asleep. "Master Kao and Commander Green work so well together, so I don't see why your master wouldn't get along with you." Meela wore a very curious and confused look as she pondered on the last statement.

Arthur shook his head, "I was Kenobi's Padawan first and during a fight with Grievous, I lost control and aloud the dark side to flow freely within me. The Council believed that Obi-Wan didn't have the time to properly teach me how to control the dark side because he was always being rushed to places, so they pushed me off to Master Kao, who didn't want a Padawan, so there was a lot of friction from day one cause neither of us wanted to be in the others presence, especially me," Arthur confessed, looking down at his bedroll, not making eye contact with Meela, he felt ashamed of his past, and embarrassed as well when he said it out loud.

Meela hummed in thought. "Still...You know your master was a big supporter of peace before the war, right? She was one of the Jedi leading the argument to the Chancellor that we shouldn't create an army. So it wouldn't make sense for her to get along with a soldier over you."

"Shows you how bad I was right?" asked Arthur, with a mix of a joking and serious tone in his voice.

The gray-skinned Youngling held back a smile and looked at him like she was saying "really?". "I guess so," she said. But the look on her face soon disappeared as another question popped into her head. "I think we've already asked you this so pardon the repetition, but what is it like working with clones, you know, now that you've gotten used to the Tenth Star Corps?"

Arthur sighed, missing the friends he made in the Tenth, but he put on a smile and answered her question, "It's mostly all repetition except for your everyday small talk you make with the clones you get close to. Once you get their routine down, it makes your life easier as well".

"What do you mean?" Meela inquired, "I've never really walked around a cruiser before, or seen a battlefield, or talked with many clones. What's this "routine" of theirs? It sounds quite tedious and demanding."

"The _routines,_" Arthur said with air quotes, "are just how they go about preparing for missions and battles and whatnot. It's not really something you have to study, cause they usually just bark orders and tell you what to do anyway" he said, adding a slight chuckle at the end, "Trust me on that one. I speak from experience"

Meela smiled, "Oh you'll face that here, too, trust me. But yeah, I can see what you're saying. The clones who escorted us during the Gathering really didn't talk much or do anything in their spare time. They just sat there quietly and cleaned their weapons until Green had another task for them to complete." The young girl shifted where she sat. "What are they going to do when the war is over? The clones, I mean."

"I'm not really sure. Some will probably try to find a normal life, while maybe some take up bounty hunting or something like that. I know what you mean about the clones and their sense of doing absolutely nothing except cleaning their weapons. I've caught myself multiple times cleaning my lightsaber in my quarters hundreds of times in a day and I mentally scolded myself for letting them rub their cleaning habits on me. Especially when Oni and I didn't get along at the beginning. I would spend hours taking apart, cleaning, putting back together and repeating that process for hours with my lightsaber."

Meela laughed at that. "Please don't give me that habit! About them having a normal life, I don't think they know what that means. They'd probably stay in the GAR until they die with the whole aging thing they have."

"I really don't have a straight answer for you. I'm not sure what they would do either. I've heard stories of clone deserters, who would actually end up living normal lives with a family of their own, so it is possible for them to live one, but I don't see a lot of them doing that, since they were made for war. It is interesting to think about though".

"It's sad thinking about it," Meela added, "They're a lot like us if you think about it. We can't form relationships or operate outside of a strict code or have many possessions."

"You might not, but with how The Council doesn't seem to like me that much, I might get kicked out sooner than you think," Arthur gave a slight chuckle.

"They haven't," Meela stated firmly, though not harshly. "And your master hasn't given up on you, so they won't either."

**(0830) **

Three weeks on Hoth relaying information from the frontlines to the Jedi Council didn't exactly excite Master Kao. In fact, she was anxious, for this could be the last time she leads her men in battle before her new position confines her back to Coruscant. After that, the 66th Ranger Battalion would be on security detail.

Oni was prepping for the assignment and was about ready to leave the following morning. She had already spoke with Windu on the parameters of her orders and organized the briefing she and Green would have with the Corps. There was one last thing to do now.

It was war and there still was the possibility of not returning. So the only thing Oni could think of was to go say her goodbyes to Arthur before she leaves tomorrow.

Arthur walked the halls of the Temple in the early morning, taking a walk and studying his datapad for his class with Master Secura. He was not paying attention to where he was going in the halls and bumped into someone. After landing on his back, Arthur searched for his datapad, only for it to be held out to him by the person he bumped into.

"Thanks" Arthur said, but realized who was handing him the datapad, "Err, Master Kao, sorry to have bumped into you like that, it is all my fault" he said in an emotionless, monotone voice. Master Secura had started to teach him how to hide his emotions. He was learning fast, but he was still not perfect at it.

Oni noticed his lack of expression immediately and stepped back as though he had thrown a punch at her. Looking slightly up at him, she frowned. "No fault of yours, young one," she said with a puzzled look on her face, "How goes your training? I hope Master Secura has been improving your technique since we last spoke."

"My training with Master Secura goes well. She's helped me to improve my technique and mastery of The Force. Thank you for asking Jedi Master Kao" Arthur said, still hiding his emotions from her. He did notice that his emotions were all trying to fight back and surface all at once; regret, forgiveness, anger, sorrow. They were all fighting back and trying to take control, but he kept them at bay.

"Excellent," Kao said, looking around trying to formulate her words. "I...," she stopped, not able to let _her_ emotions escape either. Oni still felt it was necessary that they not mend their master-apprentice bond any further, however she did want to say goodbye to her former pupil in case her visit to Hoth goes south.

Arthur scratched the back of his head, feeling the awkwardness of the conversation rising, "Well, I have a session to get to with Master Secura, so may the force be with you on your journey" said Arthur, slightly bowing to her.

"And to you, Arthur," Oni gave a half smile and bowed in respect as well. This was perhaps one of the hardest moments in her life. Having been trained by the Grand Master himself, that was saying something. Watching a second Padawan walk away in a bitter situation caused the Master to frown and clench her fists.

**(TIME SKIP)**

Arthur stood in his defensive position waiting for Master Secura to stop her lecture and start the fight he was picked for against Meela, who stood at the other end. As he waited, his mind floated back to his earlier conversation with Master Kao, and couldn't help but continue to think about past missions that they went on together, till he felt a sharp sting on his side.

"Arthur!" Meela shouted, standing in front of him with her training lightsaber loose at her side. "If I was a Sith, you'd be dead right now! Wake up!" The Togruta took a few paces back and lifted her blade with both of her hands and stood sideways, glancing at Arthur parallel to her shoulder.

"Maybe that's for the best" he mumbled quietly, hoping no one heard him. He then slowly raised his blade up into his defensive position and waited for Meela to make a move.

The younger Jedi learner raised a brow at him before lifting her chin, trying to look intimidating. Flicking her wrist, she grabbed the sword with her right hand and leapt at Arthur, swinging at his left shoulder. Arthur was able to move his blade to block her in the nick of time, but he knew that he should have been able to read her move sooner than he did. Arthur then tried to counter and swing at her, but his momentum carried him past her and she was able to get a strike at his back.

"Ugh!" groaned Arthur, shaking his head in anger and embarrassment.

"And _stay_ awake," Meela teased, though she was still determined to win this fight. Like Arthur, she needed to prove herself and make it to the rank of Padawan. Taking a defensive stance this time, she motioned for Arthur to take a jab at her.

Arthur shook his head, his memories and mind betraying him. He tried to focus on the moment and delivered a series of high quick strikes to Meela.

The Togruta was able to deflect all of them easily, as, due to her biology, she was naturally fast. But Meela was thinking, too. The question on her mind was what in the Force was Arthur dwelling on? His mind wasn't opened, so that brought even more questions to her pen paper.

Arthur was physically present trying his hardest to focus on the Togruta in front of him, but mentally, Arthur was somewhere else, as he took another stink to his side.

Arthur staggered back, "Agh", he groaned, completely frustrated and angered with himself.

Meela wanted to win this fight fair and square. Moving away from Arthur, she lowered her lightsaber. "Master Secura, may I request another sparring partner? I don't feel Arthur has a fair shot at winning this fight if he's not here and I don't want to win just because of that."

Arthur lowered and deactivated his blade and just walked away quietly, not saying a word to anyone. He remained inside the training room, but went to the complete opposite side of the room where he could be alone and deal with his emotions.

Meela felt bad, but she didn't want Arthur to lose another fight because of his thoughts and emotions. She made it her mission to speak with him after class today and see what was up.

**(TIME SKIP)**

Arthur noticed that class was done and started to make his own way out of the training room. He felt better, having dealt with his emotions from meeting his master earlier in the day. He stopped and looked over his shoulder when he felt someone's hand touch it.

Meela smiled up at him. "Okay, start talking." She crossed her arms and began tapping her foot.

Arthur narrowed his eyes at her, "What's there to tell? You were winning fair and square" he replied, and made to leave, but Meela grabbed his shoulder and held him there. "No, I'm talking about _why_ I was winning," she started, "You weren't all there, Arthur. What's on your mind?"

"A lot" he stated bluntly, "Mostly my conversation with Master Kao earlier today," he admitted as he sat down.

"Oh?" Meela raised a brow, "And how did your conversation go?"

"Extremely awkward. We both want to hide our emotions from each other, so I act all formal and whatnot when she is around, that way I can suppress my emotions when I'm around her" he replied. The Togruta nodded to this but then frowned. "Wait, why are you guys being distant?" she asked, tilting her head.

"I liked being her Padawan and we had a lot of pretty cool missions together, but she reminds me of my past mistakes too" he confided in her. "Oh," Meela said, brows raised, "Well I'm sure that will pass over. Yoda has said before that there's nothing like the bond between a master and apprentice. It's near impossible to break, but takes time to develop. You guys have only known each other for a few months. Even some don't fully develop their bond after a couple years." She smiled at Arthur encouragingly, "Just trust in the Force and her judgement, Arthur. She's probably hurting, too. Being distant isn't going to help either of you."

After a moment of silence, the female Youngling frowned. "When is she leaving?"

Arthur lowered his head, "Now. She just stopped by before she left on her way to Hoth I guess" he answered, slightly depressed. Meela gave a sympathetic, half smile. "At least you both got to say goodbye...sort of. Hoth has been a battlefront for almost a year now, so she may not come back for awhile. I guess it gives you time to prove to the Council that you deserve to be her Padawan by the times she gets back?"

Arthur slightly chuckled at this, "Yeah, I can't even focus now, because I actually wish I got to say goodbye, but I thought hiding my emotions was better. I can barely focus so the Council won't have to think on me that much before they reach a decision."

Meela shook her head. "Bottling up emotions will make things worse. However, you should only take them out in constructive ways, rather than destructive means. I can't read your mind, so I don't exactly know _how_ you can change the negative emotions into positive actions, but maybe that will help?" She paused. "Working out helps a lot of Jedi take out their anger that they may have bottled up. Have you tried that?"

"Everyday" he replied, "I'm always in the training room for hours after class" he admitted to her. "I'm impressed. Does it help, though? If so, maybe you're doing it wrong," the Togruta shrugged.

"It helps release bottled up feelings toward certain things, but it mostly comes out as anger and frustration, not sure if that is good though" he replied, trying to make it easy for her to help him. "As in you are able to release your anger, correct?" she inquired, hopeful.

"Yeah I guess, but I don't want to just release anger all the time" he admitted with a saddened face. Meela nodded, "I agree. Set a schedule. Maybe tomorrow you can go to the gym and take out a little bit of anger, and then the day after that, you can meditate and focus on positive energy."

"Thanks. You up for a rematch later?" he asked, hoping to give her the fight he should have during the actual class session. Meela smirked, "You want to get your butt kicked? Ha, sure, in the gym after class."

"Yeah sounds good to me" replied Arthur, who was feeling better about his chances of actually putting up a fight and regaining his Padawan rank when his master returned.

**(Jedi Temple Gymnasium) **

Meela stepped onto one of the sparring platforms, bouncing a bit to get a good feel of its pliancy. She glanced up at Arthur and began tightening the wraps around her hands. "You sure about this, Perry?" she asked in a cocky tone.

Arthur bounced slightly and cracked his neck a couple times as well. He then gave a smirk in Meela's direction, "Nope" he said in a cheeky tone, "You?"

"I'm always ready for a fight," the Togruta said, laughing, "It's in my biology, remember?"

"Yeah, but are you ready to lose?" he asked, his smirk getting bigger.

Meela just shook her head at his jab with a smile, "Losers always end up being the ones who talked smack before the fight, you know."

Arthur just laughed at her remark, "Not if they can back it up. Besides you started it. I'm just finishing it" he replied, igniting his blade and turning down the intensity. Meela's eyes narrowed in focus and her blade came to her hands. Activating her blade, she locked into a defensive position, making sure it was in low power mode as well.

Arthur moved like lightening toward Meela and did a couple of quick Force attacks at her feet, trying to knock her off balance, before coming in low for a swing. The Togruta simply leapt over him so that she could strike his back, making sure to at least clash blades with him on the way. She maintained a defensive position, not wanting to put too much effort into the beginning of the battle.

Arthur quickly spun around to face her, ready for action. "You gonna do something or just jump around all day? I can do this all day" he verbally jabbed at her. Meela smiled, "So can I. I'm just saving my energy. Care to take your turn?"

Arthur moved forward slightly, "Um I'm pretty sure I did, cause I'm not in the spot I started in" he smirked at her. "The jumping thing and hitting your lightsaber," Meela motioned towards his position, "Yeah, yeah that was my move...so it's your turn." She couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face.

"Whatever you say princess" he said with a wide smirk on his face, before charging forward to face her. He didn't do anything too fancy and just came down with his blade, locking blades with her. "Ugh, nicknames," Meela said, rolling her eyes, "Great." Pushing against his blade, Meela tried to make him budge, but he wouldn't. Raising a brow at his resistance, the Togruta tried to conjure up another plan.

"What's wrong with nicknames?" he asked, while keeping up the pressure he was applying on her. "Too mature for my liking," Meela said sarcastically, gritting her teeth as she pushed back.

"Really?" he asked sarcastically, "The top student of the class spends more time in the books then living a little? Could have fooled me" he said, as he amped up the pressure on the locked blades. Meela finally gave in and ducked to the side, careful to avoid Arthur's blade as she tumbled to the ground.

Arthur quickly turned to face her to keep up the pressure, not letting have a moment to regroup and dictate his movement. He quickly came at her from the right with his blade. She dodged the swipe and hit his blade several times in a random pattern to throw him off. This allowed her to spin around and slice at his exposed arm.

Arthur growled deeply at the sharp sting from Meela's blade, and picked up the fury of his attacks and did multiple short swings to quicken the pace and hopefully catch her napping. Meela had a smile on her face the entire time, using a method from the Vaapad technique form to try and anger her opponent into defeat. She allowed him small victories in locking blades with her and getting close to burning her.

As his blade got closer to her, he tried a daring move and using his strength and momentum, flipped over her and tried to swing at her back, before she could react. Meela grunted from the pain and turned to face him. "Ow, that really does hurt."

"Um...sorry?" replied Arthur shrugging his shoulders, and taking a quick glance to see if the intensity was too high, though he didn't look for long, cause he needed to keep his guard up, which he did.

"I've only ever been hit twice," Meela laughed, "And that was when I first started taking lessons and the power was practically off." The Togruta sighed, "Alright, you beat me."

"Wish I was only hit twice," said Arthur in thought, "Master Kao was always able to hit me in our practice fights, and they were always quick," he said, remembering back to when Oni relentlessly tried to booster his lightsaber skills after she noticed how poorly his form was. Meela chuckled, "See, I told you that you need improvement." Before Arthur could retort, the doors of the gym slid open and the blue Twi'lek Jedi appeared. With a smile, she approached the Younglings.

"The Council has requested your presence" said Master Secura, who then saw the confused faces of both of the Younglings, trying to figure out which one she meant, so she added, "Both of you"

**Resist: Ruh-Roh Raggy. Looks bad again. **

**Echo: Zoinks! You betcha, Scoob! They're in a lotta trouble. **

**Arthur (sarcastically): Oh great. Here we go again. This hasn't happened to me before. **

**Meela: Riiiggghhhtttt...not like you got in trouble AND demoted or anything. **

**Arthur: See, know you got it. That never happens to me.**

**Resist: Whatever. Echo and I sadly don't own Star Wars and probably never will, but please enjoy this next chapter with our OCs…..**


	19. Starting Over Part III

**Skit of awesomeness….**

**Echo: Um, Resist, where did you get that sign? *points above* **

**Resist: I bought it with Arthur's credits**

**Meela: From where? *looks at Arthur suspiciously* **

**Arthur: Don't look at me. I can't believe he stole my credits!**

**Resist: Really? You can't? *Arthur opens his mouth, but nothing comes out***

**Echo: We kinda...own you guys so yeah, you shouldn't be surprised. **

**Smoke: Wait...you kinda own us? *looks viciously at Echo***

**Echo: *whistles and walks away, evilly writing something on a piece of paper* **

**Oni: Okay, she officially scares me. Anyone up for the chapter? **

**Resist: Sadly Echo and I don't own Star Wars *coughs and uses announcer voice* Our two Jedi Younglings continue their everyday lives of training at the Jedi Temple, but very soon they must answer the call that beckons them to rise to the challenge**

Meela's face fell, fearing they had done something wrong. "Why? Did we do something?" She looked to Arthur for an answer.

Master Secura showed a small smile, "Nothing wrong young one. I do not know what they want, but I do know that neither of you are in trouble" she answered.

"Well that's a relief" sighed looked as if she was going to pass out from relief, "Thank the Force! I can't have my record damaged!"

Master Secura gave a soft chuckle to their reactions, "Alright, come along young ones. Can't keep the Council waiting, or you will be in trouble" she smiled, and led the two Younglings to the Council.

**(Council Chambers) **

All of the chairs were filled except for Oni Kao's. The Masters chatted amongst themselves pertaining different topics whilst they waited for the Younglings to arrive. Master Secura led the Younglings inside the Chamber and awaited for the Council to usher them forward.

Master Windu noticed the three and motioned them forward with his hand, "Master Secura, I see you found the Younglings," he said, before making eye contact with Arthur. The Council had a debate about which Younglings to chose for their task, and he was against bringing Arthur into this, fearing it was too soon for the boy.

"Forward you must come. Discuss a lot we do" replied Master Yoda, sitting up slightly in his chair.

Secura gave each of her students a smile before departing, hopeful for their future. Meela hesitantly turned back towards the council and bowed respectfully. Meela glanced to her right and looked at Arthur to see if he was bowing or not. She knew about the past run ins he had and the relationship he had with the Council was not the best.

Arthur glanced over at Meela, who narrowed her eyes at him, and he bowed as she did, not wanting to stir things up, after being demoted. He wanted show that he changed and even though he didn't get along with the Council, that was no reason to not show respect to them.

Yoda overlooked the exchange between the two and grinned. "For the two of you, a task we have," he started, "Hunt down smugglers you will."

Arthur and Meela shared a glance before returning their gazes to the Council, "Anyone specific?" asked Arthur.

"Yes actually," answered Windu, "One you are quite familiar with Arthur. Bartu has escaped our custody, while he was being transported to prison. You two will start with him, and if anyone else surfaces, then we will give you all the information on them that we can, and then you two will go after them"

Meela glanced at Arthur and then back at Windu. "When will we be debriefed for the mission, Master?" she asked, always wanting to be the most prepared for a mission.

"Details are on these datapads" he said, handing them each a datapad, "Any information on any smuggler will automatically be updated to these datapads as well. As for further information, Arthur can fill you in on Bartu." he said giving Arthur a look.

Arthur realized that he would have to explain his past to her, which meant retelling the story about him and Mia when they stole Republic blasters for Bartu. He hoped she wouldn't react the way Master Kao did when she figured this out about him. But the half smile she offered him was filled with an encouraging "let's get going, partner" look.

"With your permission, we'll start on our task" Arthur said bowing. Master Windu gave a nod and they both turned around to start their task. "Just a warning," Arthur started, "I may have to tell you a story that may change your opinion on how you view who I am. Master Kao didn't really react too well to it when I was forced to tell her this" he said, giving Meela a heads up.

The Togruta shrugged, "We all make mistakes, as I stated before. If it was so bad that I would view you differently, I don't think you'd still be able to step foot in this temple."

Arthur started to walk backwards and put a hand on Meela's arm, stopping her. He took a deep breath before starting, "Ok, here it goes..." he said. Arthur retold the story of how he and Mia were able to steal a four crates of DC-15 blasters for the same smuggler they were now going after, and how he and Mia changed their mind and hid the crates. He also went on to explain the scene when he was arrested by Aloke and her troopers for insubordination, and how Master Kao took to him telling the story the first time.

"Wow," Meela remarked calmly, her brows raising, "At least now I know why you got demoted. You're pretty crazy to go up against Master Tano, I'll give you that."

"Thanks" said Arthur. "I tried to keep that part of my life hidden, but eventually everything sees the light of day, and it was only a matter of time. At least Master Kao forgave me later on. I only did things like that to survive," he stated, before shaking his head, "Sorry, I'll stop talking" he said as he turned around to walk away.

Meela shook her head, "No, no, you can keep talking. Letting it out helps, remember? Plus, I need all the info you have so we can complete this task."

"Bartu is a maniac and unpredictable. One second he's your friend and the next he is trying to kill you. I saw him kill his own men before for stupid things. He's also killed his own clients before as well. He's going to be a handful to capture," Arthur warned. Arthur then clenched his fists, as his memories of his past flooded his mind.

Meela smirked, "I like a challenge. This'll be interesting for sure. You ready?" The Togruta stopped and faced Arthur, folding her arms.

"Yeah" he mumbled. He was starting to think the Council did this on purpose to test his readiness to become a Padawan again to his master. They made their way to the hangar where a clone in purple markings greeted them, "Sgt. Hotstick" the clone saluted, "I've been given orders to show you two to your ship that you'll be using" he said, glancing between the two.

Meela dipped her head in understanding. "Good, sergeant," she said, "We're eager to get started." The Togruta followed the clone trooper to a rather large ship docked in the outdoor bay of the Temple hangar. It was almost as big as the escort-class cruiser they went on the Gathering with.

"I could get used to this" replied Arthur looking over the ships. He walked up to the ship the clone was taking them to and walked around it, examining every inch of the ship. The Togruta nodded, "Me too. And just for us two? You'd think they would assign us a whole squad with a ship this size."

"Probably for smuggling our own stuff. Got to make credits somehow, while we hunt down the 'smugglers wanted list' for the Republic," Arthur said, still going over the ship. Meela shrugged, "Five years ago, the Council would never consider sending two Younglings to smuggle, at least I don't think so. The war definitely turned that around."

"They must be desperate then maybe. Maybe we'll end up like Tano and be some kind of stealth team or something" Arthur said, trying not to chuckle at the last part. The Togruta laughed and nodded, "Maybe, maybe. But I think we have a few years to go before we get that high of a ranking in the GAR."

"Ladies first" motioned Arthur with a hand gesture for Meela to go up the ramp that was currently down so they could get on. She smiled her thanks and boarded the ship, admiring the interior. "Pretty fancy for a couple of smugglers. I wonder where the 500,000 credit guns and clothes are," she said sarcastically.

"Don't know, but there are probably some alternate clothes and whatnot in here, since smugglers probably wouldn't willingly talk to Jedi" reasoned Arthur, slightly hoping that what Meela said was true. The Togruta began looking around, "Alright, time for a scavenger hunt, then?" Arthur quickly nodded with his head, excited for what they would find and pointed in a direction where there were some doors that looked like led to some different rooms.

Arthur went to one of the doors and found his name labeled on it and entered. He found a wardrobe of different armour and helmets that he would be able to use for different missions. He was admiring one of the helmets when he heard a person cough across the room. Arthur, in a flash, spun around with his blade drawn.

"Relax, tiger, it's just me," the young woman said, a smirk on her face. Mia placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head to the side. "You look different."

"I feel different...I guess" was all Arthur was able to say because the sudden presence of Mia had surprised him, but definitely in a good way, "It's been too long" he mumbled, putting away his lightsaber. He wasn't really sure what to say, since he was always nervous when talking to her.

"I was referring to your attire," she gestured towards his Youngling garb, "But I agree: it's been too long. Close to a year now, huh?" Mia's smirk fell and she looked at him with gloom.

"Oh," he said when she gestured toward his attire, "I was demoted after being arrested, and yeah about a year" he said, sounding depressed, "I'm still willing to make 'us' work. I'm not giving up just because of 'long distance relationship' issues" he said, hoping to hear a reply he wanted to hear. He nervously took a few steps toward her, as he wasn't really sure what to do in this situation since his knowledge on relationships wasn't the best. He wanted to run up to her and tackle her to the ground and show her how much she really meant to him, but he was conflicted and was debating on what to do.

Mia held up a hand, "Arthur, I'm not here for that. I'm here because I heard you need someone with extended smuggling experience. Besides, it's been a long time for both of us to think things through." She lowered her hand and then folded her arms across her chest. "Who's the girl you're with?" Mia asked cautiously.

"Her name is Meela. She is a Youngling like me, but I swear that you are the only one that I have eyes for" he added with a smirk, "Look I know you're not here to talk about 'us', but I want to know that you still carry feelings for me, like I still do for you" he added.

Mia opened her mouth to speak, but a war cry from behind her made her jump in surprise. Just as she turned around, a gray form smacked into her, tackling her to the ground. After a few moments, she was able to look up, only to be met by the green light of the searing lightsaber. "Who are you?" the seething Togruta demanded through gritted teeth.

"Meela it's alright!" butted in Arthur, trying to push Meela back slightly from Mia. "She is my…" he was going to say girlfriend, but wasn't sure if Mia would approve, so he started to hesitate and stutter and lost his train of thought.

The Togruta wouldn't have it and pushed Arthur back, "Why is she here? The Council never mentioned her in the briefing! Not only that, but she's a bounty hunter and from what you told me, a wanted criminal for possession of stolen weapons." Meela snarled at Mia, keeping her blade as close to her neck as possible without burning her.

"She's not wanted. If she is wanted for the possession of the stolen weapons than I am as well, besides those weapons were given back!" he shouted at her. "She helps the Republic when they call on her," replied Arthur. He pushed back on Meela a little harder, trying to stick up for his childhood crush, and hopefully his girlfriend, if Mia still wanted to be after being separated for a year. He was getting frustrated with Meela and was trying to get her to stand down.

"Ugh," Meela grunted and deactivated her lightsaber. She refused Arthur's help in standing up and clipped her lightsaber back to her belt. Once she was on her feet, the Togruta brushed herself off and glared at Mia. "Still doesn't make her trustworthy to me. It's a sad day when the Jedi start working with scum."

Arthur boiled at Meela calling Mia a scum, "I trust her. That should be good enough for now, and don't ever call her a scum!" he shouted, pointing his finger at Meela. He then tried to calm himself, but it wasn't working and then pointed his finger to the door, "I'm sorry," he said to Meela, "I need you to leave and I need to calm down," he tried apologizing as he sat on his bed.

Meela crossed her arms and shook her head, "I'm not letting her leave my sight. And you are no authority to dictate what I do. I'll call her scum again because that's what she is. She smuggles and deals in money for a living. Just because she works for the Republic doesn't mean she avoids offers from the Seppies." She turned towards Mia, "Right?"

The other young woman rolled her eyes and looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about," she muttered. Meela scoffed, "Of course you don't. If the Republic knew you transported weapons and information to the Separatists, you wouldn't be here."

"I need some air" Arthur mumbled and walked out of the room. He wasn't sure which way was up or down, left or right, but he found himself at the pilot's chair and started the ship. He piloted the ship out of the hangar and into space and once he was in space, set a course for Delphon, since that was where most of the people who knew Bartu were. He then leaned back in the seat and gazed out at the brilliance of hyperspace. Arthur relaxed, but felt as if his life just got super complicated.

**(Unidentified Amount of Time Zater) **

Mia stepped into the bridge, playing with her fingers. "So, what are you up to, Captain?" she asked teasingly, though her voice was sullen. She knew that talking things through with him would help and that they need to settle things before the mission.

"Oh just the usual; getting into trouble, watching my life go up in flames. Pretty much just an average day like any other" he said, keeping his eyes on the hyperspace lane.

"How so? Being a Youngling doesn't sound too bad," Mia said calmly, sitting in the chair next to him.

"No that part is fine. It's everything else, I don't know what to make of things. The Force is suppose to help me, but all I feel it does is throw me for a loop whenever it gets the chance. The Force just confuses me anymore," Arthur said, still watching the magnificence of the hyperspace lane.

"Isn't that the point of you being a Youngling now: to learn how to get rid of the confusion you're feeling?" Mia asked. She was dreading where this conversation would eventually end up.

"Yes, and it went great, but that's not what I'm talking about Mia" Arthur said in a tone that said 'you know what I'm trying to talk about'. The young woman returned the look he gave her and exaggerated a sigh. "Be clear about what you're trying to say then," she snapped, "I'm not a mind-reader like you, Arthur!" The anxiety she was having from the topic on her mind was making her aggressive.

Arthur slightly raised an eyebrow at her aggressive behavior, but it really didn't bother him much, "You aren't going to say what I think you are going to say right? I want us to work. You are the only steady thing in my life that I can lean on, even when you're gone for a year" he added. He wanted to try and keep their relationship afloat and he needed her help to do so.

"That's my point," said Mia, "Steady doesn't mean going long periods of time without seeing each other. We'll never have a steady relationship, Arthur. And if that's what you're looking for, then this _isn't_ going to work." It really hurt her to say that, but it was the truth in her eyes. Had they both remained on Delphon, then things would be different. "We have careers that lead us in different directions," Mia spoke, more calmly now.

"I don't need a steady relationship now. I just want you, no matter what the obstacles in our way are" he tried to keep himself together, but was getting pretty obvious that he was falling apart.

"Well, that's what I want," Mia sighed, looking around the room instead of at Arthur, "I don't like waiting months to see you. Frankly, it frustrates me to a point in which I question whether or not it's beneficial for both of us. I bet you're constantly distracted enough from training, losing your Master, and having to live up to the Council's expectations. I don't like being on that list, too."

"I...uh...need to get ready. Delphon is...a...coming up soon" he stuttered and stumbled with his words, as he got up to try and leave. Mia rolled her eyes and moved out of the way to let him pass. "Make sure to tell your Togrutan girlfriend I said hi," the young bounty hunter sneered, glaring at Arthur with narrowed eyes.

Arthur stopped and gave her glare right back to her, "She's NOT my girlfriend," he gritted, "I had that spot saved for you" he continued.

"Fine," Mia smirked, "Then tell her that spot just opened up." Unfolding her arms, Mia pushed past Arthur and out of the room. Giving out a huff, she strode down the hallway and towards her quarters, intending not to leave them for awhile.

"I don't want anyone else to have that spot" he mumbled. Arthur made his way to his own quarters and flopped on his bed, wondering why the Force hated him so much.

Mia stopped in the hallway, her ears having picked up Arthur's last words. Grumbling, she gritted her teeth. "Me neither," she sighed and then continued walking.

**Resist: Another chapter down, and who knows how many more to go. **

**Echo: *gets scared* Y-you don't mean 'how many more to go' until…? **

**Everyone except the writers: Until what? **

**Echo: *gulps* Uhhhhh, Resist, how 'bout you take this one? *runs out of the room* **

**Resist: Ooooh just great. Well she means that we don't know how many are left until we start the sequel to this story. **

**Meela: Why is there a sequel if there's only nineteen chapters in the story? **

***everyone agrees behind her* **

**Oni: Resist, what are you and Echo keeping from us? **

**Resist: *one drop of sweat runs down his face, but no one notices* Well this story has gotten a lot of praise that Echo and I started planning a sequel when this one ends. Plus, Echo and I love to write about you guys a lot. **

**Green: *walks up in front of everyone* Okay, before someone gets hurt…*Resist getting tackled by the OCs*...like that, let's move on! *smiles* Thank you all so much for tuning in to this episode of "Arthur's Love Life" *cough*. We hope you stop back to read the next chapter and see how it's messed up further! Bye! **

**Arthur: Hey that's not- *Resist shoves him out of the room and turns of lights till next chapter* BYE!**


	20. Emotions Part I

**Resist: Oh my Chapter 20! Well folks don't forget about the poll that is on my profile, it still isn't too late to vote for what you want to happen in the future. **

**Echo: I think this chapter is going up in the Hall of Dramatic Events. Don't you guys agree? **

**Oni &amp; Green: Mhmmm **

**Arthur: I agree as well. Remember readers, Resist and Echo don't own Star Wars.**

**Resist: Echo, would you care to do the dramatic Star Wars introduction for this chapter? **

**Echo: With pleasure *cracks knuckles* Jedi Younglings Arthur and Meela have been dispatched to hunt down the dangerous criminal Bartu. Undercover, these soon to be Jedi Padawans discover more than what they set out to. *cough* Enjoy! **

Arthur, wearing one of his bounty hunter suits from his closet on the ship, ran through the crowd of people, dragging someone along. Blaster shots flew past his head as he bobbed and weaved through the crowd of scrambling citizens, "We have to keep moving. We can't let those clones catch us, or our cover for the Jedi Council is blown!" he shouted back to the person he was dragging along with him.

The Togrutan grunted, "I wish the local police were informed of our mission!" She applied pressure to a gunshot wound on her right leg as Arthur dragged her.

Arthur rounded a corner and was surrounded by even more people if that was possible, but it allowed for more cover and they could finally slow down, after building up some distance. He slowly made his way through the traffic, and noticed the clones also walking through the enormous crowd looking for them, "They are boxing us in" he whispered back to Meela, "This is going to be tough to get out of."

"We need to switch disguises and _quick_!" Meela claimed, looking around. She spotted a small bar about a block down and pointed. "We could go in there and practically vanish."

"Good idea," replied Arthur as he led them toward the bar. Once entering, they made their way to the back. They parted ways and each entered a restroom so they could change out of their armor and into civilian clothes to blend in. Arthur quickly got his civilian clothes on and left his armor in his stall.

Meela reappeared, having done the same. She now wore a garb similar to that of her people on Shili, complete with jewelry and charms decorating her montrals and lekku. The Togruta took a glance at Arthur's attire and smiled.

"What?" he asked checking himself, "Did I put it on backwards?" he asked. "No," Meela laughed, "I think I look older than you now." She gave one look at her own clothing and then back at him again, "Yep, definitely not sixteen anymore."

"Well I guess I look like fourteen and not seventeen, almost eighteen" he said, his birthday wasn't too far from now. He took the lead and led them out of the bar and noticed that the clones were now making their way towards them, and he had little time to think. He thought of an idea, and knew it was bad. "Meela, do you trust me?" he asked cautiously.

"Why would you ask me that?" she asked casually, glancing at the clones, "Of course I trust you." She had no idea of his intentions and looked back at the bar completely oblivious.

Arthur took another quick glance at the clones, before turning to face Meela, "Whatever I do, don't fight it ok?" he asked, taking one more look over his shoulder. The Togruta then frowned and turned to her partner, "Arthur, what are you talking ab-"

Before she had time to finish her sentence, Arthur had closed the distance and cupped her face, as he brought his lips to her's in a passionate kiss. Meela barely squirmed at first, shocked, but when she saw the clones out of the corner of her eye, she focused on the kiss.

Two clones looked around the crowd, inspecting civilians. When one of them spotted Arthur and Meela, he froze and then moved on, clearing his throat from the awkward scene.

Arthur couldn't see what was happening behind him, since his back was toward the clones. He lowered his head and started to kiss Meela's neck, giving her a better view of the clones. As he did so, he moved his hands to her sides and moved them up and down slowly, "Are they still watching?" he asked, as he continued his motion.

At first, the female Padawan gasped and almost pushed Arthur away. But then she closed her eyes, Arthur's question not even registering in her head yet. She placed her right hand on the back of his neck, the other on his right arm. The Togruta bit her lip and tried to remember what he had asked.

Meela opened her eyes and leaned to her left a bit, scanning the crowd. The clone who had seen them was definitely gone now, his partner with him. The Togruta spotted a group of clones heading into a shop in a hurry. "We're in the clear," she said, "They're heading in the opposite direction."

Arthur stopped the kiss and stepped back some, "I...uh...sorry. I..won't judge if I get...a lights-s-saber to the s-s-stomach" he said to her, obviously flustered from the whole sequence of events. Meela breathed out and tried to alleviate the awkwardness by chuckling, but it came out weak and nervous. She adjusted her headdress and glanced around, blushing considerably. "Don't worry, I left my blade on the ship," Meela said shyly.

"Well uh, we can't go back there yet, cause they'll be all over the shipyard still. Just blend in for now till the heat dies down?" he questioned, waiting for her opinion.

"And if they come back?" Meela inquired, looking up at Arthur with expectant eyes. Arthur just looked at her with a small smirk, "We'll think of something" he said, before he could stop himself. "Kissing worked, I guess," Meela said before turning to pretend like she was inspecting the crowd. Gulping, she nodded back to the bar, "We could go back in there. They don't know what we look like and have already moved on from there."

"Whatever you want to do. It get's too dangerous if we stay in one spot too long" he said, starting to make his way back toward the bar.

"Agreed," Meela said, following him. She placed her hand in the crook of Arthur's elbow, trying to play the part as best as possible. "Does this mean we have to drink, too?" she asked with humor.

"Not if you don't want to" he said, slightly moving closer to her unconsciously. "Good," Meela giggled, "Cause I'm underage and _very_ uninterested." They entered the bar and moved to a table in a corner, out of the way of drunk people passing by or trying to sell them something. The loud, pulsating music made Meela flinch as her sensitive montrals throbbed.

"You alright?" Arthur asked, noticing her flinch slightly.

Meela smiled and nodded, shifting in her seat. "It's just the really loud music," she shouted, "And everything else." Patrons were shouting, laughing, and joking about as well, adding to the noise. Not to mention, there was also the occasional sound of glass shattering somewhere in the crowded bar.

"Come on" said Arthur as he got up from his seat, and took her hand, he lead them back outside, "Well this looks familiar" he mumbled, but he knew she heard him. Meela subconsciously gripped onto Arthur's arm tighter and looked around for the clones. "I wonder if it's safe to go to the shipyard again?"

"I think it should be safe" he said, as he started in the direction of their ship.

**(Shipyard) **

Sure enough, there were clones all over the place. However, it seemed as though they had already inspected most of the ships. Luckily, the Younglings' ship was registered under the Galactic Republic, thus it was likely passed over. Meela walked up to the craft and reached out to make sure no one was in there. "We're in the clear," she said, not sensing any Force signatures.

"Let's get out of here then," said Arthur looking at her. He picked up his pace so they could quickly leave, but to also hide his blush he gets now whenever he looks at her. Meela nodded and boarded the ship after Arthur. "Gonna miss that set of armor I left behind," she said humorously. The Togruta was trying to mask her blush as well, but again, her voice came out shaky.

Arthur gave out a slight chuckle, but he was also a bit shaky when he did so, "I'll go up to the cockpit and get us rolling" he said, trying to make up an excuse to leave.

"I'm going to change out of this," Meela said, gesturing towards her attire, "Bounty hunters don't usually dress like this." She quickly turned and headed off towards her quarters without giving Arthur a chance to reply.

Arthur watched her leave, being mesmerised by her. Once she was out of sight, he took a deep breath and headed to the cockpit to get them underway. After making all the preflight adjustments, he piloted the ship out of the hangar and plugged in the coordinates to return to the Jedi Temple to inform them of Bartu's condition.

Meela emerged from her room about thirty minutes later, having showered and gotten dressed. She kept a few of the jewelry pieces from the civilian clothing tucked underneath her uniform and armor. Luckily for her and Arthur, the Jedi Council had supplied them with a couple spare sets incase incidents like today happened. The Togruta made her way to the cockpit, not sure what to say to Arthur about the whole ordeal.

Arthur sat in his pilot chair with one hand on the controls and another hand playing with the necklace that was around his neck. His hand was playing with the ring that was strung on the necklace that he now always wore, since finding his mother's ring on his last trip back to Delphon.

Meela opened the door to the cockpit and found Arthur sitting in what looked to be a bout of boredom. She cleared her throat and waited for him to turn around. On her way there, she had made up her mind on what to say.

Arthur spun around in his chair at the sound of Meela clearing her throat, "You look nice" he said, then he felt a blush start to form, so he quickly spun around and went back to toying with his mother's ring on his necklace.

"Oh," the Togruta said, startled, "Thank you. Um, I actually came up here to talk to you about something."

Arthur still had his back facing her and in his chair, but he was still listening to her completely, "What about?" he asked enthusiastically, though he had an idea what is was about. "I, uh," Meela muttered, looking anywhere but at Arthur, "I just wanted to apologize for my reaction to the, uh, whole kiss thing. It was my first kiss, so I didn't know what to expect." She stopped and looked at Arthur, hoping he wouldn't laugh at her.

"It's alright," he said spinning around to face her, "I didn't really know what I was doing either. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable" he said, only occasionally making eye contact with her. "Oh, no, no, no," Meela started, eyes wide and waving her hands, "It was nothing you did, it was just the situation. I liked it, er, uh, I mean, it wasn't uncomfortable. I…" The Youngling shut her mouth and felt her face heating up. Her montrals darkened and she felt the wave of embarrassment wash over her.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at her, "You liked it?" he questioned. Surprised himself that she wasn't stabbing him with her lightsaber for kissing her earlier. Meela's eyes widened slightly and she sighed. "I, uh," she took a deep breath, "I did, even though I'm not supposed to, I did."

Arthur got up from out of his seat and took a couple steps toward her, "So you liked it even though it's against Jedi Code to do so? This is not the Meela I know" he said, trying to crack some of the awkwardness that was forming.

The Togruta took a step back in response. "At least I know that it is forbidden," the young woman said softly, almost a whisper, "Just because I liked it doesn't mean I'm going against the Code."

"And what would be breaking The Code, Meela?" Arthur asked, now thinking he scared her by taking those few steps closer. Meela looked him up and down before closing the gap between them. She reached up and touched the side of his face with the tips of her fingers. In a mere second, they were back to the scene by the bar. Meela kissed him with the same passion that he had kissed her before.

Moments went by and the Togruta pulled back. "Doing that," was her only response. That was the last thing Arthur expected, and wasn't really sure what to say, "Uh...um…Is that so bad though?" he asked, giving her a smile. Meela looked away in thought before smiling, "No, it's not."

After hearing those words, Arthur closed the distance that Meela had created from stepping back and locked lips with her again. He closed the distance so quickly that when he put his arms around her. Meela was forced to take a few steps back, taking Arthur with her, until she felt the wall behind her. The Togruta let out a small yelp from the impact, but her focus then turned back to the kiss. She wrapped her arms around Arthur's neck and pulled his face closer to hers. Arthur then started to pick up where he left off last time and started to kiss her neck. But this time, there was no clones to look out for.

Meela's eyes were half closed now and she bit her lip, wondering if she was just daydreaming again. Ever since it had happened, she played the first kiss over and over in her head, and now it was here again. All thoughts of following the Jedi Code had left her mind.

Arthur continued to kiss Meela's neck, but moved his arms down to her hips and drew small circles just above her hips with his thumbs. The Togruta flinched from the contact, slightly squirming in Arthur's hands. Her mind was in a jumble at the moment, senses a mess.

Arthur sensed her squirming against him and quickly stopped what he was doing to her. He backed away with a red face and looked at her apologetically. "I, I'm s-sorry" he said putting his hands up, hoping she would forgive him, "I took things too far" he said, his voice weak and he didn't sound his like his normal self.

"M-Maybe we should get ready to go back out there again," Meela said gently, turning away from him. "Let me know when we're out of hyperspace."

Arthur looked slightly depressed, and solemnly nodded, "Yeah I will" he said. By judging the way Meela answered him, he felt he went too far and now regretted not having control over himself. "Arthur," Meela called out, about to step out of the cockpit, "I definitely liked it this time."

Arthur smiled at her, "You sure?" he asked cautiously, "I felt you squirming and thought I crossed the line" he said. He was glad that she didn't seem upset about it, but wanted to just make sure before he dropped the subject. "I was enjoying it, trust me," Meela said with a smirk before she left the cockpit. Arthur smiled at her before going back to his pilot seat and stared out the viewport, feeling the best he had ever been in a long time.

Arthur stared out at the view of hyperspace, but it quickly came to an end and in front of him now was Coruscant, a planet that he had become relatively familiar with now, whether it was for good or not so good reasons. He then realized that he had to go get Meela, so he got up from his seat and headed down the hall to her door, and raised his fist to knock, but stopped not sure what to say after he knocked. Thus, Arthur stood there with his fist in the air trying to formulate something to say.

A hiss suddenly brought him from his thoughts as the door opened in front of him. Meela bumped into Arthur, not seeing him at first. Gasping, she fought to balance herself and looked up at him in shock. "I guess we're out of hyperspace then?" she asked with a knot in her stomach. Arthur composed himself, then looked down into her eyes, "Yeah, just got out a couple seconds ago and was just about to knock on your door" he said, running a hand through his hair, trying not to look embarrassing in front of her.

"Uh, who's piloting the ship?" Meela asked, a smirk spreading across her face. Arthur face palmed and ran for the cockpit, shaking his head, and he plopped into his seat and began their landing. Meela laughed and paced towards the exit of the ship, smiling stupidly the whole way. Who would have known this mission would bring them this close?

Arthur brought the ship to a halt in a hangar bay that was connected to the Jedi Temple and made to get out of the ship, "Time to give our report to the Council" he said, "With my luck, Master Kao will be there and things will be awkward" he said, though the last part was more directed toward himself than Meela.

"You imply that you have luck, Arthur," his fellow Youngling said teasingly, "You're going to need a miracle at this meeting."

"I didn't do anything wrong though" he said, mostly to himself, but also toward Meela. He was running scenarios in his head as they walked to the Council Chambers. "What if she is there? Would I even be able to think straight? She'd probably wouldn't give me any slack even if I did mess up. She'd just keep her emotions masked like always" he mumbled, as he started slightly babbling on to himself.

"Did you ever see Oni as a big sister?" Meela asked abruptly, stopping Arthur. Arthur gave her a questioning look, by slightly leaning his head to the right and raising a brow. "Why?" he asked. Meela sighed, "If she was one to you, think of her that way when we walk into that room. Don't treat her like an adversary, but an ally and friend. She'll sense that from you and be more lenient, trust me."

Arthur and Meela reached the doors to the Jedi Council and Arthur took a deep breath and placed his hand on the doors, and he pushed them open, revealing the wise and powerful Jedi Masters in their seats, waiting for them. The master's seats were in a semicircle and Arthur and Meela walked into the middle of that semicircle and bowed, giving their respects.

A certain brown-haired Jedi Master stood out above the rest, a look on her face that was unreadable. Either something had happened during her time away from Coruscant, or she was disturbed by another matter. Nonetheless, she dipped her head towards her former Padawan, proud that he had chosen to stay within the Order even during the darkest of times. She looked around before wrapping her robe further around herself, almost as if it were suddenly colder in the room.

Master Yoda gave a nod to the two Younglings as well, telling them to give their report of their mission. Arthur cleared his throat and began, "Meela and I headed to Delphon to dig up any helpful information we could on Bartu, and it turned out he was doing some business in the capitol, so we headed there. While doing surveillance, we might have made ourselves known and a shootout took place. Bartu and most of his goons were killed, while others and also us fled from the clones that arrived on the scene" Arthur stated to the Council.

"This situation is quite unfortunate," spoke Master Mundi, "Did you find information that leads to other wanted criminals?" Other members of the Council did not look displeased but rather sympathetic towards the Younglings. Not every mission ends in success, especially covert tasks under extreme pressure.

"No master. We came to a dead end on new information regarding other criminals, that is part of the reason we came here. To see if there was another criminal you wanted us to go after" stated Arthur. Oni looked at Arthur with approval. He has come a long way with speaking to the Council since he first stood before them. "Master Kao recently had a run in with a highly wanted criminal," Windu said, gesturing for the woman to explain.

Kao locked gazes with Arthur, exhaling slowly. Arthur looked at his former Master with a saddened face, but he quickly gave her his undivided attention, as did Meela. Clearing her throat, the Jedi Master spoke. "On Hoth, Commander Green and I encountered a renegade clone deeming himself Mandalore the Resurrector. Unfortunately, the commander fell in combat to him and we were unable to apprehend the deserter."

Arthur's eyes slightly widened, but he kept in control when he spoke, "Where is the commander now?" he asked as calmly as he could. Oni masked all emotion with her typical stoic face. "Green is undergoing surgery for the stab wounds inflicted from the fight here on Coruscant." The Jedi Master then looked away from the conversation as if her comment was casual and barely affected her. But something else was troubling her and seemed to draw her away.

Arthur was relieved of the news and let out a breath, "Do you have any information or a plan for us to follow?" asked Arthur, looking at Master Kao, but his question was directed toward the whole Council. Oni adjusted her robes once more and looked out at the Coruscant sunset, a gleam in her eyes that was slowly dying. And it wasn't because the commander almost passed on a few days ago.

This time it was Master Kenobi clearing his voice. Master Kenobi looked at Arthur with a smile, cause like Master Kao, Kenobi was able to see Arthur grow and he now saw his former student accepting his role in the Jedi Order with no hesitation or vocal outbursts. Kenobi stood and straightened himself out. "We have a plan to make both of you part of Spar's gang. We will send you in undercover and your job will be to earn their trust and mention a heist that the two of you have been planning for quite sometime. However, when Spar and his gang show with the two of you to complete the heist, I'll be there with Commander Cody and some clone reinforcements to attempt an ambush and possible arrest of Spar and his gang" Kenobi said, laying out the plan for the Younglings.

Oni turned to look at Arthur when she heard these words. "Sergeant Smoke and his team will be assisting Kenobi and his men due to their knowledge of Spar's tactics," Kao said calmly, though she did not like the idea at all. However, she wanted someone to be there that Arthur trusted and would keep him safe at all costs. The Jedi blinked a couple of times before gazing off into space once more.

Arthur bowed in respect, "Then we shall take our leave and prepare for this undercover assignment then" said Arthur, as he and Meela bowed to the Council and turned to leave. Master Yoda looked around the room and nodded. "Dismissed, the council meeting is," he said. The Masters stood and bowed to one another. As they began to disperse, Oni made way for the hall, intent on speaking with Arthur. Something told her that she may not see him until after his mission is complete, so she wanted to take the opportunity now in case anything happened.

"Arthur!" the woman called out as soon as the doors opened and her former Padawan came into view. Arthur stopped, as did Meela, and they both turned to see Master Kao walking toward them. The woman smiled at Meela. "Good job, young one," she paused, "May I speak with Arthur alone?" The Togruta nodded respectfully and left, not suspicious at all.

Oni watched her leave for a moment, making sure she was out of earshot. The Jedi Master still spoke in a whisper. "I am very proud of you, Arthur," she said, "You have come such a long way since we first met over a year ago."

"Thank you Master" replied Arthur, he looked up at her, as if he wanted to say something, but he stayed quiet and let his former master continue. "Those things said," Oni sighed, "I do not wish to overlook things. I want you to know that you can always talk to me about anything, Arthur. I could tell that being away from Mia distracted and frustrated you. How did things go between the two of you when she joined you and Meela?"

Arthur frowned, "Not so good. She and I wanted a relationship, but with there being long gaps between the times when we get to see each other, it wasn't healthy for either of us to try and make our long distance relationship work. After landing on Delphon, we said our goodbyes till the next time we run into each other" Arthur said, looking away from his former master.

"I heard the use of "we" a lot there," Oni gave a half smile, "Is that how _you_ truly felt about your situation Arthur? The last time we spoke of this, you seemed content with a long distance relationship." Arthur looked down and slowly shook his head, "I wanted to make it work, but she wanted something steady and I offered to leave The Order for her, but she wouldn't allow it" he said, at a mumble.

Oni smiled, "And Meela helped you mend the wounds, correct?" She stopped and placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder, "I know you're both tied to each other, but know that when you receive your Padawanship again, you two may be just as distant as you and Mia, if not more."

Arthur, kept his gaze at the floor and nodded his head slowly, "She isn't my rebound girl" he said calmly, "I know we have that bridge ahead of us, I just have to find a way to cross it" he said, sincerely to her. He was already trying to find a way to cross that bridge, but he couldn't find one, and he put that weight solely on himself.

"Cross it together," Oni said, "Trust me, if you try it alone, it will never work. When Green and I-" The Jedi Master stopped and looked away, a flash of emotion on her face before she masked it, though, not quick enough.

Arthur raised a brow at her, "Green and I what?" Arthur asked, who picked up on the emotions that his master didn't quite mask in time. Oni's face tensed up and she bit her lip, trying to look away from her former Padawan. Glancing around the hall, she found that they were all alone. "Arthur, what I'm about to tell you must stay between the two of us," she said in a firm whisper. Arthur only nodded his head, not wanting to say something accidently too loudly and draw attention to them, especially Meela's.

"Arthur, on Hoth…"

**Echo: Hehehehehehhee! Cliffhanger! **

**Arthur: Awww come on! Don't leave me hangin'!**

**Resist: *rolls eyes at Arthur* That's what cliffhangers do, and you deserve it after that pun.**

**Oni: I take back my comment about being proud of you *rolls eyes as well*. You **_**all**_** are going to have to wait for what I'm about to say. Not even the writers know. **

**Echo: uhhhhh….pretty sure we know…...we wrote the script *looks at Resist* Right? **

**Resist: Yeah, we are what's the word that means we know what happening all the time for every character?**

**Green: Omniscient. **

**Resist: Yeah, that's the one. Anywho, don't forget to drop some reviews on what you guys think about the story and see you all next chapter! Also please check out my profile to vote on who you want Arthur to end up with at the end, Meela or Mia **


	21. Emotions Part II

**Arthur: Welcome to another awesome chapter of…**

**Resist: *interrupting* Arthur's Love Life written by ResistTheEmpire and Darth Echo.**

**Echo: Sorry Arthur, but I agree with Resist. By the way, how is the poll looking?**

**Green: *counts up current votes* It is still pretty close and anyone's game. I'm pondering over a third option for you Arthur. If we are going to wreck your love life, you can never be too careful. The more options the more confused you'll be.**

***Chuckles are heard throughout the room***

**Resist: Now that the daily 'torment Arthur's love life jokes" are over *coughs to prepare for announcer voice*. Our young intrepid Younglings, who are secretly dating, start their next mission as undercover agents for the Jedi Council and the Republic. After a messy, but successful first mission, they set off to infiltrate the gang of their next criminal, Spar, also known as Mandalore the Resurrector. We join our Youngling couple as they are about to leave the Temple to start their journey….**

Oni paused to take a deep breath in and out. The words about to escape her lips were slowly tearing her apart inside. Feeling calm washing over her, Kao glanced at the Youngling and gave a smile. It showed regret, joy, and fear. "Arthur, on Hoth, I discovered something that must remain between you and me. You're the only person I trust to keep this a secret," she said, waiting for acknowledgement. Arthur had already agreed to keep this between them, but she was so anxious that she needed to hear it one more time.

Arthur very slightly nodded his head, "I understand master" he said very quietly, loud enough for only his former master to hear. Oni sighed and let the robe hand loosely, her tense, white knuckles disappearing. "When Green went into the operating room…"

Meela stopped abruptly and stood tall and straight. Slowly, she turned around and gazed at the master and apprentice speaking. Many questions filled her head and she huffed. The thought that Arthur might reveal their secret disturbed her. Would Master Kao tell the Council? Was she going to be kicked out of the Jedi Order? Surely the woman was too kind to do such a thing, yet she always abided by the rules and would never let such a thing slide. Making a note of that, the gray-skinned Togruta locked her gaze upon the floor and continued her march back to the dorms.

Arthur was wide eyed and had to cover his mouth from blurting out something that he had just promised to keep quiet, "Do any of his men know? They would be devastated" mumbled Arthur, seeing Meela looking towards them, but then he saw her walk away out of the corner of his eye.

"I couldn't bare to tell them," Oni breathed out, also noticing the Togruta, "And I won't tell Green either. I fear he may never be able to focus in battle knowing this could happen should the GAR find out after his operation."

Arthur gave her a small smile, "Maybe the GAR won't find out? Plus, I'll be your Padawan again soon too" he said, trying to give her some comfort. Oni nodded, "The GAR is too focused on other matters to really look into it. And yes, you have shown a lot of promise in the past ten months. I am proud of you, Arthur." Arthur gave a small smile, before seeing Meela walking towards them from down the hall, "I think our time is up" he said, nodding with his head toward Meela. Kao's eyes widened a bit, "Are the two of you taking off now?"

The Jedi Master's face read calm, but on the inside, she was anxious, for Arthur was the only one she could trust and confide in with her knowledge. Arthur tried to read her emotions, but as usual he couldn't, and wondered why he still tried, since she was a master at hiding what she didn't want to be found. "The quicker we move on this guy the better. Master Kenobi isn't one to prolong things either. Besides, Green needs you more" he smiled at her.

Kao grinned, trying to keep her emotions in check. "If you're up for seeing him, he's at the clone medical facility next to the GAR barracks. I think he'd want to talk to you after not seeing you for so long."

Arthur gave her a quick nod, and then bowed taking his leave and walking over to Meela. Arthur noticed that she looked as though something was bothering her, "What's wrong?" he asked, wanting to help her as much as he could. "I came back because I wanted to walk with you," Meela said with a forced smile.

"Meela, what's on your mind?" he asked, walking at a slow pace. He wanted to take his master's advice and talk to her about their future, but wasn't sure if he should bring it up now. "Did you tell her?" the Togruta whispered in her native language, even though she knew Arthur couldn't speak nor understand it. But she really didn't want Oni to overhear her. Unbeknownst to Meela, Kao did speak Togruti and smiled upon hearing the Youngling's question before disappearing.

Arthur gave her a questioning look and shook his head playfully, "You are going to have to teach me Togruti so I can talk to you in your native language, but until then, try saying that again" he smiled at her.

Meela sighed and spun around to face him, rather close. "Did. You. Tell. Her?!" she "whispered", glaring at him. Arthur took a few steps back in response. Meela could be intimidating when she wanted to, "No I didn't. She already knew" he said, mumbling the last part. Meela raised a brow. "What do you mean 'she already knew'?"

Arthur had started to walk again causing Meela to walk with him, while scratched the back of his head, "Well we were talking about the last mission, and she just sort of brought it up. I didn't even mention it at all. Don't worry though Bookworm, she won't tell on us" he said with as much certainty he could muster, while whispering. Meela frowned, "She's a member of the Jedi Council! She's obliged to tell on us! What reason would she have for not saying anything?"

Arthur stopped, and lightly grabbed her arm, stopping her as well. He then took glance in both directions, "Do not tell anyone what I am about to tell you, not even Master Kao, cause I don't know if what she would do to me. Anyway, she won't tell because she and Commander Green are together" he said, looking everywhere but at Meela.

The Togruta's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Like..._married_ together?" she asked in a hushed and shocked voice. Arthur shook his head, "No, but close" he answered with a slight smile. Meela cocked a brow, "Engaged at least? It's been, like, three years. Jeez, Green, get your game together." Arthur nodded his head in response and started to walk again, "Do you feel better now?"

"Uh," the young woman dragged on, "Yes and no. The fact that a Council member has gotten away with breaking the rules somewhat comforts me and scares me at the same time. Ki-Adi Mundi is allowed to marry only because his species' low population rate, but unless the one trillion Talravinians in the galaxy start going extinct, I don't think Oni Kao has an excuse." The Togruta sighed, "And what excuse would we have?"

"We wouldn't" Arthur said, not wanting to lie to her at all, "But that wouldn't stop me from trying in the least" he said, showing he was committed to their relationship for the long haul. Meela nodded, "Okay, starting to feel slightly better. So why did Oni look so upset then if she approves Jedi relationships?"

"That's classified, I took an oath to that" he said, putting his right hand up. His fellow Youngling stopped him with her arm, "Arthur, I'm going to find out. No offense, but you're not very good at keeping secrets." She smirked and put her hands on her hips, trying to look as intimidating as always.

Arthur glance around for Master Kao, and when he didn't find her, he continued, "Something happened during Green's operation that could compromise his position in the GAR," he said, giving her a look that implied something else, "If you know what I mean."

Meela's eyes widened and she glanced over at where Master Kao had once been. "Oh," she muttered, "But...oh no. Is she okay? I mean, now I understand why she's so upset!"

"I honestly don't know, she always tries to hide her emotions, even from me," he then looked Meela in her eyes. Her blue eyes followed his green ones. They were as blue as Mia's, if not more. Arthur seemed to noticed that they sparkled a lot as well, and he was mesmerised by them. Meela laughed, "Let's wait until we're not in such a vulnerable area, Arthur." With that, she stepped away from him, a smile playing on her lips. "Your Master hides her emotions for a reason," she said teasingly.

Arthur narrowed his eyes at her, "Whatever. I just wish she wouldn't hide them from me as much as she does" he admitted to her. The Togruta nodded, "Hope my future master tells me everything that I need to know. I still wonder who it's going to be with the war going on." Arthur frowned at her mentioning her future master. Sure he was extremely proud, but their relationship would take a hit when they both set off for their respective masters.

"Ha," Meela chuckled, "Would be funny if I got Oni's cousin or something. Then we might see each other more often." She glanced at Arthur, hopeful. Arthur gave her a smile and a chuckle to what she said, but he still didn't look forward to asking her about their relationship when they both made Padawan. After smiling towards her, his frown from earlier came back.

"What's wrong?" the Togruta inquired calmly as a fellow Jedi walked past them. Arthur looked at her and didn't focus on anything else, "What happens to 'us' when we become padawans?" he asked her. Meela smirked, "Instead of being a Youngling couple, we'll be a Padawan couple. Kinda simple, Arthur." Arthur frowned even more, "No it's not simple. What happens when we are both galaxies apart for an extended period of time?" Arthur asked her seriously, he wanted to resolve this now, and not have what happened to him and Mia to happen to Meela and himself.

"Well, your master is stationed here on Coruscant," Meela started, "So hopefully whoever I get is stationed as well. Maybe Oni can help me get a master that is?" Arthur looked at her with hope in his eyes that that would happen, "I need to visit Green before we leave. He's in the hospital and I haven't seen him in a while. We could ask him to bring up the subject to her, or we could ask her ourselves before leaving" he said, giving her the option of what to do, but he did want to visit Green, even if she didn't want to bring up the subject to him.

"You two haven't seen each other in a while, it'll be good for both of you," Meela said, nodding, "And Oni's ears open widest to Green I'm sure." The young woman gave Arthur a warm smile and they both headed for an elevator. Perhaps a good train ride to the hospital will help them think of a plan for their little predicament.

**(TIME SKIP)**

The train ride to the hospital was coming to an end. Arthur sat and played with the ring that was connected to the necklace he wore. He felt that the necklace helped him stay in control with himself, and it also helped with bringing back the good memories he had of his parents, and also helped with suppressing the bad ones.

Meela, sitting next to Arthur, noticed this after sensing his emotions moving around. "Where'd you get that?" she continued, "I saw you playing with that during our last mission." Arthur stopped playing with the ring, and held it still between two fingers, allowing Meela to look, "It was my mother's ring and this…" he said gesturing toward the necklace, "was my father's."

The Togruta grinned, "Ah, family heirloom? They're beautiful." Arthur frowned slightly, "Not quite. They're reminders" he said, looking at the ring in his fingers. "Of what?" a small smile appeared on Meela's face, laced with concern. Arthur let out a soft sigh, "Of why I'm doing this," he said before pausing, "When I was nine, my parents were taken out to the street in front of our house and executed as a reminder to the whole town what happened if they stood and fought against the gang that runned the town" he said, not looking at Meela or the ring, he had closed his eyes, suppressing his emotions, though he couldn't suppress all of it.

His fellow Youngling wore a face of pure shock. "Oh, Arthur, I'm so sorry! Did you at least get to know your parents before they died? Oh, I can't imagine what that's like." Arthur nodded slightly, "I remember good times before they were taken from me. These," he said, gesturing toward the ring and necklace, "help me remember and help me deal with the pain"

"Did they know about your Force abilities?" the Togruta asked, placing a hand on Arthur's arm. She wanted to comfort him, with a past so distorted, he needed it. Glancing back at her partner in crime, Meela gave a warm and encouraging grin. Arthur looked in her direction, but didn't look at her face, he kept his gaze down, like he was looking at her feet, "I think they had an idea that I might have it. When I was little, they told me stories of the Jedi and Sith. I enjoyed their stories, and didn't realize the bigger meaning behind them till after I joined the Jedi" he said calmly.

"They'd be very proud of you, Arthur," Meela said, "Even though you've gone through ups and downs, you're still here and fighting for what they stood for. And I think that's all that matters right now, don't you think so?" Arthur sighed as the train came to a stop, "Yeah" he said, looking out the window, "Looks like our stop"

"What are you going to say to him?" Meela asked, looking out the window, "Are you going to tell him about...you know? Or does Oni want to keep it a secret from him, too?" Arthur nodded, still looking out the window, "I don't know what to say to him. I'm just gonna wing it and see what happens" he said, getting up from his seat, stretching out a hand to Meela.

She gladly took it and stood up, taking a deep breath. The young woman was not nervous, but knew she needed to be Arthur's rock in case this visit went south. With the knowledge Arthur has, trouble could spill.

Arthur made his way to the hospital and once in the lobby, made his way to the help desk and got the number of Green's room and headed in that direction. Arthur, with Meela right next to him, found the door to Green's room and took a deep breath before entering.

Immediately, the pungent smell of chemicals filled the air and the bright lights of the room blinded them. Green was snoring on his bed, the covers pulled up to his chest and two pillows underneath his head. A couple of take-out food boxes, empty of course, were sitting on the small table next to his bed. The food came from his and Oni's favorite restaurant, a signal that she had already been there to visit him before the Council meeting. The clone marshal stirred in his sleep at the sound of the two Younglings walking into the room but did not wake.

Arthur stopped and backpedaled slightly, having second thoughts, "Maybe another time?" he whispered to Meela. Arthur, agreeing with what Meela had said about him not good at keeping secrets when under pressure, started to get nervous about letting slip what Master Kao told him. But the Togruta grasped onto his arm, not too harshly, and pulled him closer to Green's bed. "Keep that secret locked up Arthur," she spoke quietly, "Green would benefit from seeing you if what Kao says is true."

Arthur sighed, and stepped closer to Green's bed, and cleared his throat to see if it would wake the marshal commander. He made sure not to be too close so that Green wouldn't kill him if he woke and was angry. Meela rolled her eyes impatiently and nudged Arthur, asking him to really wake up the commander. When he didn't, she muttered under her breath and gestured towards Green, threatening to wake him up herself.

"You two aren't good at being sneaky," the man suddenly said without opening his eyes, "ARCs are trained to wake up to anything, even someone walking in the door." Arthur smirked at the man's reply, "I'd still kick your butt, I had ARC training as well, if you recall" he said, remembering John giving him ARC training, but mostly he remembered the soreness afterward.

"Ha!" Green chuckled, opening his eyes and blinking from the light, "That's funny kid. Get cocky from a couple days of training...try ten years of it and come back all prideful, 'kay?" He looked around and spotted Meela, who looked somewhat distant. "Hey, kid. You were on the Gathering mission right? Get your master yet?"

The Togruta felt a little more comfortable and smiled, "Yes, sir, I was there. Unfortunately I haven't been assigned to a Master yet." The marshal nodded, "You'll both end up there soon, I'm sure." Arthur smiled slightly, "We'll see. All depends on if I return alive or in a body bag after this mission the Council is sending us on," he said, slightly laughing after he finished.

Green frowned, "What mission? General Kao said you'd be coming back to Coruscant after your last one. Who are you after this time?" Arthur looked away from Green, not wanting to see his reaction, "When we returned, the Council had someone that they wanted behind bars and we are going undercover to apprehend him. He goes by the name….Mandalore the Resurrector" Arthur said, slightly mumbling the last part.

The clone commander's face fell into masked rage. He took a deep breath and leaned back on his bed, his eyes gazing around the room. "They're sending you to capture a Jedi killer?" he inquired through gritted teeth. "He tried to kill Oni! And they're going to send two _kids_ to apprehend him? What the fek is the Council thinking?"

"We aren't kids" Arthur defended, "Master Kenobi will be there with clone reinforcements, including Sgt. Smoke and some of his men," Arthur took a deep breath, "I need this to prove I can be a Padawan again. I don't like the idea of going undercover and joining a psycho's gang, but if that's what I need to do, then I have to" Arthur replied, wanting nothing more than to be by Master Kao's side again.

"I know," Green exhaled, "But after what that osik of a man almost did to General Kao, I wanted to be the one who pulls the trigger. I owe him that." Arthur's face turned into a frown, "You owe it to General Kao to get better" he retorted, "Meela and I got this, you need to get better. If something goes wrong, Obi-Wan is right behind us to pull a rescue" he reassured him.

"That's not very assuring," Green snorted, "And for the Oni thing, she looks worse than I do at the moment. Didn't think little ol' me getting beat up would shake her up this bad. Don't worry, kid, I already got the 'you need to get better' lecture from her a couple hours ago. I'll be fine, I've got one more surgery before I can start moving around again."

Arthur smiled, "Well rest up and may The Force be with you. I know you don't want to hear this, but if I don't make it, it's been a pleasure" Arthur said, giving him a salute, "Make sure to tell Oni the same" Arthur knew gangs were unpredictable and had an act at sniffing out undercovers, and knew anything could happen.

Green nodded crisply, "May the Force be with you, Arthur. Can't call you kid anymore, can I?" He sighed, "Now, go complete your mission and move up the ranks. I expect to see you on the battlefield when I get back." Arthur stood at attention, like a clone would, and gave a salute before turning to leave with Meela soon after. "Ready?" he asked her, putting a hand on her shoulder. She nodded before turning to the marshal. "Feel better, Commander," was all she said before turning to leave with her fellow Jedi Youngling.

Arthur followed Meela out of the room. Once he was out, he sighed, "That could have went worse. I still have all my limbs attached," he said, tapping his arms and moving his fingers around. The Togruta laughed and lightly punched his side, "And you don't have to go through ARC training for talking back, either." She smiled, but it soon faltered. "You don't think he suspects anything? He seemed pretty normal. Well, for Green."

Arthur shrugged his shoulders, "I'm not sure. Master Kao hasn't mentioned anything to anyone except to me of course, and what I told you, and I don't plan on telling anyone else, unless Master Kao is ok with it" he said, "That includes Green as well."

"She should tell him," Meela said, biting her lip, "Before it's too late. It might soften the blow coming from her." The young woman folded her arms across her chest and pondered in thought. "If I knew something like that, I'd think I would tell you so you're not caught unprepared." Arthur raised an eyebrow, but his face showed that he was grateful, "Uhhhh, thanks" he stumbled a bit, imaging himself and Meela in this predicament rather than Green and Master Kao.

"Oh," Meela realized what she had just said and began to blush, "I….I mean, well yeah I would tell you. Green and Oni never keep anything from each other, so why should we?" The Togruta's montrals turned a deeper shade and she pretended to cough, embarrassment flowing through her.

The two of them had reached their ship as they talked and Arthur, after seeing if anyone was nearby, pulled her in close, "You don't have to be embarrassed you know? I'd be lying if I said I've never thought about things like this involving us" he said, drawing circles on her back. Meela smirked at this and took a second look just in case someone was there. "What?" the girl started with a raised brow, "You getting stabbed and having me keep something important from you?" She snickered, "If you get back on the battlefield before the war is over, I'm sure we can arrange that." Meela rested her hands on Arthur's chest and looked into his eyes.

Arthur chuckled at what she said, "You're funny" he mumbled, before placing his forehead on hers, keeping his eyes focused on hers, "But you know what I mean" he mumbled, but loud enough for her to hear. "I know," Meela nodded lightly, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, "I've thought about these things, too. With a war going on, you always have to consider outcomes like this. I'm just upset that this had to happen to your Master and Commander Green."

"Yeah, I feel bad for them too" he said, keeping his eyes locked on hers, he loved having her in his arms and this close to him. He cherished these times, because he didn't know if this would be their last or if this would last forever. The Togruta exhaled in a controlled manner. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times. "How are you going to deal with Spar? He almost killed Green...and Master Kao." Meela wondered if Arthur would react the same way he had with Bartu when he almost killed him those many months ago. "I," Arthur paused, dragging out the word, thinking of the same thing, Meela just had, "I don't know really. I mostly play things by ear, especially with gangs and the like, because they are very unpredictable and usually throw a wrench into the most perfectly laid out plans when you least expect them to" Arthur answered, speaking from experience.

Giving a half smile, Meela sighed somewhat relieved. "I'll be there when we catch him, but maybe this will be an opportunity for you to show the Council that you have changed by bringing Spar in peacefully? Though, from what I've heard about this Mandalore the Resurrector, not much peace will be coming from his side of the fight." The Togruta couldn't resist a small chuckle at this. "Who knows? Maybe this will be the mission that gets you back with your Master. Hopefully, because without Green at her side, she really needs you."

Arthur couldn't resist any longer and closed the small gap between their lips, giving her a passionate kiss, though it was short. After breaking away, he looked her in her sparkling blue eyes, "I'm gonna need you there, when we get him and hopefully this mission gets you your own master as well" he mumbled, his heart beating faster.

Meela cupped Arthur's cheek and smiled brightly. "Your Master is very close with Kit Fisto," the Togruta laughed, "Maybe I'll get him. One can only hope." Arthur dropped his hands to her hips and pulled her closer to him, putting his head in the crook of her neck, and giving a slight chuckle, "Hopefully someone on Coursant," he said, "After being this close, I couldn't handle you being galaxies away" Arthur said, though it was slightly muffled.

"And I couldn't bare being far away from you," Meela said, wrapping her arms around Arthur's neck, pulling him in for a tight embrace. She nuzzled his cheek, "This war will be over soon and we'll be able to see each other more often." Arthur smiled slightly remember the last time he had his hands on her hips. To see Meela's reaction, he started to lightly draw circles again above her hips, "Whoever it is, I will support you the best I can" he said sincerely.

"That's all I ask for," Meela said, chuckling. She pulled away from Arthur slightly and pulled him in for a kiss. "But let me ask you one thing." It only took a second for him to return the kiss, still drawing circles above her hips, "And what is that mi'lady?" he asked, pulling away, but only slightly.

"It seemed like we came together during the Bartu mission," she paused, "But is that where your affection for me truly started? Or was I oblivious for a longer period of time?" The Togruta smirked as she waited for a response.

Arthur gulped, "To be honest," he started, pausing to find his words, which was harder than he thought, "I had eyes for Mia since I was eleven, but after everything that went on, you were the main person that kept me from giving up. You were my best friend, but I really noticed you, when" he paused again, fumbling with words, "...when I got back from training with Master Secura late at night, and you caught me in the morning" he said shakily, hoping his answer didn't get him stabbed with a lightsaber. He was on the virge of flinching, waiting for her reaction.

"Well, just so you know," Meela made sure he was looking in her eyes before she continued, "I noticed my feelings for you when we sparred. I had my eye on you before that, but, that was the day I realized how I felt about you." Arthur tilted his head, and gave her a nice, long and passionate kiss on her neck, before bringing his head back to look her in the eyes, "And how do you feel about me?" he asked her with a smile.

"Hmm," Meela narrowed her eyes and pretended to look apathetic, "I'll have to think on that for awhile." She chuckled and looked back at Arthur. Arthur raised a brow at her, "Really cause I know how I feel about you" he said, "I l-love you" he stumbled slightly, though he wished he hadn't stumbled on the most important word in that sentence.

Meela's eyes widened momentarily before she began to blush once more. *cough, que Han and Leia theme* The Togruta looked Arthur's face up and down before a genuine smile played on her lips. "You do?" she asked timidly, feeling a rush of emotions. Arthur looked Meela entirely up and down, "I-I do" he said, still stumbling on his words, all because of the person that was mere inches away from him.

The young woman smiled and pulled Arthur in for a kiss. Moving away after a few moments, she whispered back in his ear, "I love you, too, Arthur Perry." Arthur closed the distance again, pulling her in with his hands around her hips, not thinking of anything else. He began to draw circles again, but as he did so, his hands went slightly under the shirt Meela was wearing, causing him to flinch a little.

Meela didn't react at all and merely smiled at him. "C'mon, let's go find that di'kut and make your Master proud." Arthur stopped drawing the circles, but he didn't move his hands from under her shirt, "Do we have to?" he whispered, sounding disappointed. The Togruta sighed, "Unfortunately," she said, "We should get to work as soon as possible. Green doesn't have too much time left in that hospital. Spar should be brought to justice before then." She looked at Arthur expectantly.

Arthur slowly moved his hands, liking the feel of her skin, "Alright, you know sometimes you're too smart for your own good" he said, giving her a fake pouting face. Meela narrowed her eyes at him, "Mhmm, oh, I know, trust me." She pulled Arthur into the ship, eager to get back to work considering they may be promoted for this. And she knew how much this meant to Arthur.

Arthur went into his room and got dressed in his bounty hunter armour and then headed for the cockpit, starting up the ship, hitting the coordinates for Bespin. Once in outer space, Arthur pulls a lever and they go into hyperspace. Arthur lets out a breath and relaxes in his seat.

Meela joined him moments later. "So, GAR Intelligence, according to Oni, reported Spar on Bespin? That's not an obvious hideout," she said with sarcasm, "Might as well hide from a Jedi in the Senate Building." The Togruta sat down in the co-pilots chair and got comfortable herself.

"Yeah, who's dumb enough to do that, unless you can afford to" Arthur joked back to her. Arthur stared off into hyperspace, still remembering what he did to Bartu after he and Tano had found him. Hopefully he had learned enough self control to better handle himself this time around.

"Agreed," Meela continued, "He must have powerful allies. Do you know the whole story with him, cause I have his profile on my datapad." She pulled out the device from a pouch slung across her armored shoulder. "No wonder Green hates him so much."

"Why is that?" he asked, still staring at the view of hyperspace.

"Alright, here we go," Meela sighed, reading the profile, "Spar, formerly known as Alpha-02, an Alpha-class ARC trooper, was an aberrant clone who defected from the Republic after escaping Kamino. He was the first clone to desert the GAR and became a bounty hunter-obviously. After the death of Jango Fett, he went to Mandalore and formed the Mandalorian Protectors. With the Protectors and his hate for the Jedi Order, he joined the Confederacy of Independent Systems. After Duchess Satine Kryze was killed last year, he proclaimed himself Mandalore the Resurrector." Meela stopped and rolled her eyes, "Okay, I think we get the picture...bad guy who needs a nice knuckle sandwich, a pair of shackles, and a comfy, rock hard cold cell to make things right."

Arthur raised a brow at her, as he thought of something _smart _to say, "You know I had to sleep in one of those comfy, rock hard cold cells before" he said in a straight voice, waiting to see how she would reply.

Meela frowned at Arthur. "Mhmm, and how was it?" she asked rhetorically, "I think rotting in a sarlacc pit would suit Spar more, considering all of the Jedi and his fellow clones he murdered." She sighed and looked back at the datapad. "I'm starting to doubt whether or not we can capture this guy. It sounds like he has a mass of supporters and warriors to back him up. Mandalorians are not easy prey by any means."

Arthur grabbed one of Meela's shoulders and spun her to face him, then grabbed her other shoulder, "Hey, don't get cold feet on me now. We can handle this, just remember your training" he calmly said to her, trying to ease her uncertainness.

"I know, I know," Meela started, holding up her hands in mock surrender, "I'm just saying that we need to be very careful and precise with this mission. If something goes wrong, we have an entire Mandalorian clan after our shebs. And no one knows Spar more than Green, so we're at a disadvantage where our usual plan may not work. Last mission, there wasn't much of a threat to face considering the gang is nowhere big enough to take on the Republic. But the wrath of the Mandalorians is up in the air this time."

"Yeah I know the Republic's situation with Mandalore is tense, and it doesn't look like it will resolve itself anytime soon," Arthur agreed with her. Arthur also let go of her shoulders, letting her do what she wanted. The Togruta gave a somewhat thankful smile to that and leaned back into the co-pilot's chair. "So, how do you propose that we approach our dear friend Spar?" she inquired. Arthur leaned back in his chair too, but it didn't take him long to think of an idea, "Bars!" he said, with no hesitation, "Bars are where you can usually get information relatively easy, besides we need a way into his gang, so we can look for a possible easy target that is low on Spar's chain of command" Arthur said, giving Meela the plan that was inside his head seconds ago.

"Spar has two close followers," Meela said, "They'll be with him at all times I'm sure. So everyone else is a good target in my opinion. Especially if they're getting drunk in a bar; a lot easier to manipulate." Arthur nodded his head agreeing with her, "The trick is to find someone who is relatively new and doesn't have any strong relations with people who are higher up in the chain," Arthur said, having done these things before with Mia for Enkado's gang.

"Well, it would make sense for Spar to recruit from the Mandalorian clans," the Togruta said, "They could be more worried about honor than money, or the other way around. So, in that case, said "weaker" person could be persuaded both ways." Meela hoped what she was saying made sense. Obviously, she wasn't Mandalorian and didn't know much about their culture, but this mission was important and they needed to figure out a plan together.

"We need to find someone who was recently recruited and hasn't got a chance to form bonds with the higher ups, that way we might be able to persuade him or her to work for us, or if not, then get information. What would we do with that person if they refuse to cooperate? We can't tie him or her up, cause if they escape and report back to Spar, then our cover is blown," Arthur said, but more to himself, but it also involved Meela, so he wasn't too embarrassed when he realized he was thinking out loud.

Meela nodded in agreement. "Killing them isn't an option. Gah! I wish we had a Mandalorian on our side like your Master to help clear things up." She paused and looked at Arthur. "Wait, you know she's a Mando, right?" Arthur nodded his head, "I read it on the datapad, but she neglected to really tell me anything about her, probably because of our bumpy start at the beginning," he guessed, figuring it was a good reason why his former master never really opened up to him at first.

"Coming from a Mandalorian warrior and a Jedi Knight would cause some complications," Meela sighed, "It doesn't say this on her profile, but it's rumored that she belongs to one of the top named Mandalorian clans and that she has a militia guarding her back on Mandalore. If any of her clan members are in the Mandalorian Protectors, we might actually have an advantage." At her own words, the young woman brightened with hope.

Arthur gave a small smirk at seeing Meela perk with hope. "You probably know more about her than I do. Do you think I could contact her through the Force and ask her? If she knows, we can try to start an uprising inside the gang itself" Arthur said, putting the idea out there, since they needed a plan before entering into the gang blind and with no plan.

"Well," the Togruta pondered in thought, "You could ask her, but maybe she's kept it a secret for a reason. Mandalorians and Jedi don't exactly mix nowadays, especially with Spar stirring up trouble out there. What do you know about her Mandalorian heritage? I'll fill you in with what I know from my research at the Temple."

Arthur's face contorted trying to think about what Meela had asked him, "I don't know really anything. I heard the rumors, but that is it. I never asked her cause I was afraid of sparking another argument, and I was already on thin ice for most of the time I was with her" he asnswered her. Arthur had practiced contacting people through the Force with Master Secura during his time at the Temple, and had gotten pretty good at it. Still giving Meela is attention, he tried contacting his former master. _Master Kao? _He asked through the Force.

"Her father, Damian Shan," the Togruta began, "used to be the leader of the Shan clan on Mandalore. He was a bounty hunter and that's how he met Oni's mother, Rey Kao, who was expelled from the Jedi Order a few years back and taking on a couple odd jobs herself. Her mother and family on Talravin called her Oni Kao, but her Mando family named her Bo Shan. Apparently Oni was raised as Talravinian royalty on her mother's side and as a Mandalorian from her father."

"She used this to bring both peoples together during the Mando-Tal war when she was nineteen." Meela stopped to catch her breath, "After that, the Shan clan increased significantly in power, size, and wealth, making Oni an asset to the Jedi Council, which is probably why she was granted the title of Master and given a seat on the council. Damian was murdered a few months after the Clone Wars began and Oni inherited the role of leader over the Shan clan." Meela gave a small smile. "Quite the backstory, huh?"

Arthur's eyes were wide and he looked shocked, "Yeah, I'll say" was all he could muster. He then closed his eyes and tried his former master another time, _Master? _he asked again. "We are getting pretty close to Bespin, I hope Master Kao replies soon" he said, looking at the planet that was getting bigger as they approached it.

Suddenly a voice called back to him. _Arthur? Aren't you on a mission right now? _She replied. It was likely early in the morning back on Coruscant, as the Jedi Master sounded weak and exhausted. Arthur was startled but quickly gained control of himself again, _Yes, but I need you help. Are any of the Shan clan with Mandalore the Resurrector? _he asked back.

The tiredness in Oni's voice disappeared. _What?! What do you mean members of the Shan clan? _A mix of emotions flowed from her Force signature. _No one in our clan would go to such lengths to...Wait. Yes, I do know of someone who would join Spar's cause, if you could even call it that._ A sigh came from the Jedi Master. _My father's former advisor, Jhia Pac. She's a clan jumper and is more in it for money than honor. I doubt she's loyal to Spar, though._

_Thanks master, _Arthur thanked her for this information, though there was something in his voice that held slight anger toward her, though he tried to hide it, he was sure Master Kao would probably sense it. And she did, but kept that hidden as well. Oni did not say goodbye to him in fear of provoking him and possibly compromising the mission. Arthur then looked at Meela, who was giving him a slight glare, "What?" he asked, though it was calm and collected, with no anger or anything harsh directed toward her.

"Why are you angry at her?" Meela asked, "She has her rights and reasons for not sharing that information with you, Arthur." Arthur didn't show any specific facial expression, but stayed calm and collected toward Meela, "I just feel every time we are about to turn the page and actually get to know each other, she always has something to hide or doesn't tell the whole story and bottles up her emotions inside her" he said venting to her, which felt good for him, though she may not agree with his reasoning.

"I can understand that," Meela nodded, "But you two haven't had the time to really tell each other anything. That and sometimes people have dark secrets that they can't share with anyone for their own personal reasons." Arthur nodded in understanding, "I'm going to talk to her after this mission," the young man said, before realizing that they were already landing on the planet's surface. Luckily they didn't have to walk far to a bar, for there was one in sight out of the ship's viewport.

**Resist: Another one bites the dust.**

**Meela: You can say that about Bartu XD **

**Echo: Wow….just….wow **

**Resist: Meela, stick with Echo and I and we will teach you how to make puns properly**

**Oni: Speaking of jokes, how about the poll on Arthur's love life? **

**Arthur: HEY!**

**Resist: It is still neck and neck. Readers please review and let us know who you want, it is still up for grabs yet. Stick up for your favorite characters. **

**Green: Is there a "let him die alone a crazy cat lady" option? That one would probably win. **

**Arthur: That was cheesy Resist, and uncalled for Green.**

**Resist: While this argument goes on, please review and give us your vote. Until next time, may the force be with you**

**Meela: I think we forgot something important Resist and Echo**

**Echo: Right, Ladies and Gents, we don't own Star Wars or any of its characters**


	22. Emotions Part III

**Echo: *tries announcer voice and ends up coughing on stage* Anyways, welcome back folks! Yes, you guessed it, another episode of "Arthur's Tragic Love Life", the #1 self-deprecating romance story on this website. **

**Arthur: E tu Echo?**

**Resist: Why not?**

**Smoke: Sorry kid, but it is kind of funny. **

**Echo: *evil glare* Not as funny as his Jedi career. *blows kiss at Arthur* **

**Green: Ouch, you went there. **

**Echo: Yes, yes I did. **

**Resist: While we all take blows at Arthur, please enjoy this next chapter. Remember we don't own Star Wars *clears throat for announcer voice* As our dynamic duo (no pun intended, we don't own Batman and Robin either) continues their journey (pun intended) to capture the criminal, Spar and his Mandalorian followers, they arrive at a bar digging for information….**

Arthur took a seat at the bar, closely followed by Meela, and ordered a drink to blend in. As he sipped on his drink, he scanned the place looking for answers. The Togruta sat a couple seats down from her partner, trying to look a little suspicious as possible. Ordering a common drink, Meela glanced about the bar casually, inspecting the crowd. There were people of all species and genders in the bar, no Mandos in sight. Deciding that speaking to Arthur directly is a bad idea, Meela tapped into the Force.

_Don't see anyone fitting the description of Jhia Pac. _ Arthur looked her way and nodded his head in agreement, wearing a slightly saddened face, until he heard the doors to the bar open. Looking back he found what he was looking for. A Mando woman fitting the description was standing at the entrance, but Arthur quickly looked away after seeing the man behind her. "Oh crap" he quickly said, putting his hand over his face.

_What?_ Meela asked, not wanting to look at him. But she did notice the two Mandalorians approaching their direction. _Oh, osik._ The slender woman was dressed in a jet black body glove, decked out with light blue armor splattered with gray and black paint. The forks of her T visor sloped into three points and looked rather cold and cat-like. A pair of pistols swaying from a belt loosely hanging on her hips did not help tone down the intimidation radiating off her. _Jhia Pac._

_That's not what I'm worried about._ said Arthur. The man behind her, stood about a foot and a half over her. He took off his helmet and tucked in in between his arm and his left side, while resting his right arm on top of the Jhia Pac's shoulder, showing that they knew each other. However, the woman shoved his arm off of her and took a seat nearby, while the man caught sight of Arthur. "Arthur?! Arthur Perry?!" he shouted making his way over, till he caught sight of Meela.

The man took a seat, but he sat in the only seat that separated Arthur and Meela. "Arthur, what are you doing sitting this close to this beautiful creature? She isn't even in your league" he said, not even looking at Arthur, as he set his helmet down and ordered a drink for him and Meela. Arthur was visibly starting to get frustrated, but he hid it sort of, "This 'creature' happens to be a Togruta, but I doubt you can even spell it" Arthur mumbled, though the man and Meela both heard it.

Jhia sat down on the opposite side of Meela and sighed. "Whiskey?" asked the Mandalorian woman, her question directed towards the Togruta without looking at her. Her response was the raising of her glass. "Looks like you and will both need it," Pac said dryly, waving over the bartender to get a shot.

"So what's a gorgeous creature," but the man stopped and looked at Arthur, who narrowed his eyes even further, "urrr T-T-Togruta doing out here alone" he said, moving closer to her. Arthur was about to fume, but tried to control himself, "She's not alone. Bartender, give me a shot of the heavy stuff!" he said, hoping to calm himself. His drink then slid down the table and ended up in his hand.

Meela sighed in annoyance and spoke to Pac without looking at her. "Does this happen often?" she asked. Jhia chuckled, "Almost everyday. You?" The Togruta nodded and downed another shot, "Uh-huh." The women rolled their eyes and stared off into space as the "duel" next to them commenced.

"I'm sorry where are my manners?" the man next to Meela said, "They never existed" chimed in Arthur, getting a quick glare before the man turned his attention to Meela, "My name is Orus Beskar" he said, putting his arm around her, and downing his drink and whistling to the bartender to refill his drink. Arthur about fell out of seat at Orus touching his girlfriend. "Orus here is an old 'acquaintance' of mine" Arthur said, answering the obvious next question from Meela.

"Sorry, Orus," Meela said calmly, "I'm gonna need a few more shots before I consider talking to you." But she made no move to get Beskar's arm off her, instead remaining still. "Ouch, nice one," Jhia said approvingly. "Thank you," came the younger woman's monotone reply.

"Awww, is the Miss already spoken for?" Orus asked, light heartedly, not really caring if she was or not, "I'll change your mind if you are" he said with confidence. Arthur was about to say something but decided against it and just put his drink to his mouth, not wanting to cause a scene. Meela didn't want to give something for Orus to pick Arthur on about, so she chuckled. "No, but your partner here is pretty tempting," she said sarcastically, "Don't know what trashcan she pulled you from."

Arthur glared at Meela, _I can take him, _he told her, _You didn't have to do that, _he said to her through their bond. "He's too big to fit it any trashcan" Arthur bursted out, "More like a dumpster at least" he chuckled into his glass.

Orus, wasn't phased by Meela's sarcastic remark and continued his advance, "You are funny, I like that" he said, causing Arthur to growl into his drink. Pac smirked, "Got any more comebacks?" She downed a shot and winced from the burning fire in her throat, "You're doing great so far, but he can go on for hours, trust me." Arthur was ready to jump out of his seat and smash his drink off the side of the oafs head, but to calm himself he pulled out his necklace with his mother's ring. Orus noticed it, "Who gave you that? Your mommy? No self respecting woman would waste their time with you" he said.

"Surprised your friend here stays with you," Meela said in response to that. On the inside, her blood was boiling, but she had a great control over her emotions and channeled them elsewhere. "Tolerate," Jhia corrected her. Her piercing blue eyes reflected off of her glass as she waited for another round.

Arthur was ready to rip Orus' throat out after his last comment. He gripped the necklace tighter, trying to suppress his anger and hate for the man next to him. Just then Orus, put his hand on Arthur's shoulder, "Arthur and I used to do jobs together, but he outgrew me" said Orus, before turning his undivided attention back to Meela. "It doesn't take much to outgrow you. A two year old outgrows you" said Arthur. Orus then quickly spun around and ripped the necklace from around Arthur's neck and held it out in front of him inspecting it, "Coming from a man who wears a necklace from his mommy" Orus said in a baby voice. Arthur was swarming with anger, "Say it again" he said, very darkly.

"Here's where the fun begins," Meela and Jhia said at the same time, each sighing in exasperation. The Togruta grew nervous, for she didn't know if Arthur could hold in his emotions. _Remember, the mission. Don't let your anger get in the way! _

Orus, turned towards Arthur, "What are you going to do about it?" he asked, expecting Arthur to turn back to his drink. However, Arthur closed his eyes and then opened them and swung his fist, connecting solidly with Orus' face, knocking the man on the floor, "That" he gritted, before getting out of his seat.

Jhia rolled her eyes and acted as though nothing had happened. Meela, on the other hand, turned around and glared at Arthur. "What are you doing?" she demanded. Arthur didn't turn to face her, keeping all his attention on Orus, "Standing up for my parents" he gritted darkly, before pulling Orus back up. Orus then using his force, broke free of Arthur's grip, which didn't take much since he weighed more than Arthur by a lot. He grabbed the Youngling and threw him into a nearby table, that crashed to the ground in pieces. Arthur picked up a peice of wood and cracked it against Orus' face, staggering the man, who then collided with the bar table, where Meela and Jhia were.

Meela stood up from her seat and looked to be in a panic. She had no clue what to do or think. Their cover had already been blown and now their chance of allying themselves with Spar's gang might be gone as well. The teenager glanced at Pac, who was casually sipping a bottle of beer now. She looked rather content at the moment and oblivious to the fight behind her. Meela resisted (tee-hee) a scoff at this and turned back to the scuffle. "Both of you, knock it off!"

The other patrons didn't give the group a second thought, as this sort of thing tends to be a pattern in bars. "I got 50 gold credits on the small one!" somebody shouted, "I put 100 on the big guy" said another in response.

Jhia chuckled and muttered under her breath, "I'm betting my ship on them not being able to walk after this." Meela sighed, "I might put a bet on that, too." She glared at Arthur and shook her head.

Arthur was too focused on his fight with Orus, "Give the necklace and I'll stop" he said, holding the piece of wood like he would his own lightsaber. Orus just grunted and staggered to his feet, only to take another swing from Arthur. Orus still felt the pain, but was able to get an arm up in time, breaking the piece in half. Arthur threw the other half on ground, but didn't see Orus pull a knife and slash at him. Arthur felt a pain across his face, and then realized what happened, but didn't back down. Dodging the next attack, Arthur brought Orus in close and disarmed the knife by elbowing Orus in the ribs several times, forcing the big man to drop the knife, allowing Arthur to kick it away. Arthur then elbowed Orus another time and made the man stagger backward, allowing Arthur enough room to kick the man in the face, knocking him out.

The people in the bar that had money on Arthur cheered, and Arthur had a smirk on his face, as he bent down in pain and picked up the necklace and put it around his neck again, only to collapse on a table moments later. Meela turned to Jhia, "Looks like someone owes you a ship." Pac smirked and couldn't hold back a fit of laughter. Maybe it was just the cheap beer.

The Togruta stood up and walked over to Arthur, pulling him up by one arm. "Do you realize what you've just done?" she whispered in his ear, anger threatening to spill from her voice. Arthur looked at her, but was unable to hold his head up and let it fall back down, "I just kicked his…" but he didn't finish after seeing her glare, "I'm sorry" he said, sincerely meaning every word. "Good," Meela said, guiding him over to a nearby booth. "Just sit tight and I'll go speak with Pac."

The teenager walked back to the bar to find a second beer bottle on the counter in front of her seat. Jhia gestured towards the seat and turned in her stool to face Meela. "So, why are you and your boyfriend in a place like this?" she asked. Meela's cheeks blushed and she gulped. "Well, we haven't had the best luck finding work closer to the Core Worlds, so we decided to look in the Outer Rim."

Pac nodded in understanding, taking a sip of beer. "Bounty hunters then?" The Togruta shrugged, "Something like that. We're just in it for the money, you know? The war has made it rather difficult to enjoy anything else." Jhia chuckled, "I hear you on that. I'm only invested in my current job for the credits." Meela gave a half smile, "Care to elaborate." The Mandalorian smirked, "Was able to get myself into the Mandalorian Protectors. Odd lot, but pays well. Leader is kind of a di'kut, but what can you say?"

The Jedi Youngling pretended to look thoughtful. "I believe I've heard of them. You work for the Separatists, right?" A simple nod was her answer. "If Arthur and I could get into something like that, it would be a miracle."

Pac laughed, "Well, I think I could put in a word for you, though I think Spar is only looking for Mandos right now. Unless you're willing to change your lifestyle, maybe this isn't the job for you." That is when the Togruta smirked. Pac had fallen right into her trap. "My partner is actually good friends with a clan you might know of."

Arthur looked over at them, they weren't too far away, "I am in pretty good with the Shan clan" he mumbled, still suffering from the effects of the fight. Jhia's eyes widened slightly and she almost choked on the beer. Looking between the two, she managed to speak. "You know Bo Shan?"

"Know her?" Arthur laughing, "I talk to Bo Shan practically everyday" he said, trying to hold back the laugh that threatened to come out when he saw Jhia's face. "You must be related to her then?" Pac asked, "She doesn't really interact with anyone outside her family, trust me." The Mandalorian bounty hunter added a chuckle after that.

Arthur gave her a smirk, "No, I'm not related to her" he said, waiting for her reply, while he touched his face where Orus had got him, feeling a mark close to his eye, he flinched at the pain slightly.

Jhia frowned, "Then how can I trust that you know her?" Suddenly her suspicion of the two raised and she looked between them. "Either you're a member of the clan or family, nothing else. Who are you people?" she asked firmly. Meela gulped and hid a grunt. _Arthur, you shouldn't have said that. _The Togruta wished she had her lightsaber on her as the tensions rose.

_I know, I know, _he sent back, _Watch a master smuggler at work though my darling, _he added getting up from his seat, staggering a bit, "I did not know who she was at first, but we had a chance encounter on Shili. She was being chased by an assassin and I happened to save her life and also the life of my partner," he went on gesturing toward Meela, "She thanked me in return and we have kept in touch and talk whenever I get to see her" he said, moving his hands around while explaining his story.

Pac's eyebrows raised after the story. "Interesting," she responded, "Bo has never been one to go by a life debt or anything but I guess your story checks out. What are you here for?" Jhia kept her eyes locked on Arthur, almost daring him to tell another lie, as if she knew.

Arthur put down a map and unrolled it, showing the area they were in, "I got reliable information from some sources that a heavily guarded weapons cache for clones on the Republic's front lines is moving through here. Meela and I are going to take a stab at it when it comes, but need some extra help. The Republic took over my home planet and it has been nothing but gloom and despair since then and it's time for payback. I was looking for some extra help since this isn't a two man job" he said, gesturing to the point on the map where the weapons would be.

Jhia held back a laugh and maintained a stoic look. The kid was trying, she'd give him that, but after years of dealing with scum, she could tell a bad lie from a good one a parsec away. On top of that, she didn't know what to think of his claim to know Bo Shan. When Jhia knew Bo, no one got to her personally unless they were within her clan or was a family member. The part of his story that really didn't match to Bo Shan at all was his being against the Republic. Pac knew of Bo being a Jedi Knight and that she wouldn't befriend anyone outside of the Republic.

"And what am I supposed to do about it?" she asked nonchalantly, keeping her well-guarded thoughts to herself. Arthur felt he bit off more than he could chew and fumbled to get his words put together quick enough, "Like I said, it's more than a two person job, and we were able to track Spar's last known location to somewhere in this system and was hoping to have a chance to present our business plan to him" Arthur said, he knew she was reading him, but he couldn't take anything back because it was too late to do so.

"Hmmm," Pac muttered, looking more relaxed, "I might be able to help you. But...I have a few conditions." Arthur figured there were conditions, so he nodded his head towards her, "And they are?" he asked.

Holding up a finger, the Mando said: "First, I bring the idea up to the boss, not you two. Second," she held up another finger, "When Orus wakes up, you tell him nothing of this plan. And thirdly, you never speak to or mention me after this mission is complete...ever again. Especially not to your dear friend Bo Shan." The last request was said firmly, but laced with hesitation and regret.

Arthur nodded his head to all three conditions that was laid out before him. _Master? _he asked Oni through the Force, hoping to get an answer and quick from her, "I accept your conditions" Arthur said, rolling up the map and tossing it to her.

_I'm in the middle of something, Arthur, what do you need?_ Oni asked somewhat irritated. She made no attempt to control her emotions. Arthur flinched slightly and was afraid to ask her about Jhia, _Nevermind. _Arthur said, not wanting to anger her more than what she seemed to be. Arthur kept himself calm, but Oni's sharpness in her reply made him just slightly more angry with her.

Pac nodded gratefully and took a look at the map. "Yep, Spar can't bare to give this gig up," she somewhat laughed, "Actually, he wouldn't give up any chance to get back at the Republic." The Mandalorian stared off into space for a moment. True, she was only in anything for a good source of income, but this was different. These teenagers were claiming to be from Clan Shan, a family she once felt welcomed and a part of. If she got in good with them, maybe she might find solitude with her clanmates again. A friend of Bo Shan's was a friend of hers.

Jhia returned from her thoughts. "Alright, kiddos," she started, "Let's finish our drinks and wait for Orus to wake up. He'd blow a fuse if I left him here." Arthur went to move from his seat back to the bar and to his drink, but as soon as he stood up, he fell right back down into his chair, "Ouch," is all he said, rubbing his head.

Meela half smiled at this and sat down next to Arthur, squeezing his shoulders. "That's what you get for being stupid," she whispered, kissing his cheek. Arthur looked at her and gave her a smile, trying again to get up and succeeding this time. He then walked over to the bar, taking a step over the unconscious body of Orus. "How long until he wakes up?" the Togruta asked, gesturing towards the, hopefully, still breathing form of a Mandalorian.

Jhia took a sip of her beer and closed her eyes. "How much did he drink?" she asked casually before chugging down a good third of the liquid. Pac felt the buzz finally reaching her and sighed, never really enjoying alcohol all that much.

"Uh, maybe a shot or two," Meela answered. Jhia nodded, "Okay, so he'll be up in an hour or so."

Arthur, not really feeling the need to drink anymore, took one last sip of his drink before pushing it away, "So when are we, err you, going to present those plans to Spar? Should we meet up here or would you prefer somewhere different?" asked Arthur, who spun in his chair to look at her, not wanting the rest of his drink.

"When Orus wakes up, we'll take you to Spar," Jhia said. She gulped the rest of the beer and held down a burp. "Spar is always on the move, so when Beskar and I check in, we'll know where to go." Arthur nodded, "Sorry about, well you know" he said, gesturing toward Orus laying on the floor, "Hopefully I didn't knock him out too bad" he said, apologizing to her.

Pac let out her laughter at that, "Orus has looked worse, trust me. In fact, it looks like improvement from here." She snorted a little. "I don't think anyone has seen a beaten-the fek-up, whiteout drunk Mandalorian before, but it's not pretty, I'll tell you." Turning to Arthur, she smirked. "So, you and Beskar know each other?"

Arthur nodded, "When I was younger and first starting out after my parents died from gang violence," he said, twirling the ring in his hand, "We did a couple quick, odd jobs, but that was all. I woke up one morning after completing a job, and he was nowhere to be found. I'm just glad he didn't take my wallet when he left," Arthur chuckled slightly, "I can see he hasn't really changed from how he used to behave back when I knew him."

"Well, you'd think converting to a code of honor would change him," Jhia shivered, "But no, for some reason it only made him more reckless." Meela tilted her head, "Why did he become a Mandalorian in the first place, then?" Pac shrugged, "Probably because of the cool armor and his last name. His older brother is a Mandalorian bounty hunter loyal to Death Watch, I think."

Orus grunted and slowly got to his feet, "Where is that fekking Arthur!" he shouted, looking around till his eyes landed on him. Arthur raised a hand, waving to him. Orus took a few steps to him, but he was staggering badly. Arthur on the other hand, had to hide a smirk, "Orus buddy, I'm sorry. Have a drink?" he offered the man, pushing a glass toward the seat he sat in before they fought.

Jhia noticed what Arthur had given him and her eyes widened slightly. When Orus looked around rather randomly, she replaced the glass with her empty beer bottle and rested his hand on it. As if there was anything in there, he raised it to his lips and "drank". He didn't seem to notice at all that it was empty and set it back down. Meela turned around in her chair to hide her smirk and laughter. Pac smirked triumphantly, probably having done this a few times before. Arthur put a hand to his mouth, trying to hold in his laughter, "This kinda thing happens a lot?" he asked, seeing how smoothly Pac had replaced the drinks, and wasn't bothered by Orus drinking an empty glass.

"Only when he's out of it like this," she answered, patting Orus on the shoulder in a show of Mandalorian respect. "C'mon, Beskar. We're taking them with us to check in." The female Mando stood up and guided her partner off the stool and took the bottle away from him. Arthur stood, but swayed slightly, getting up too fast, "Wow, gotta watch those sudden movements" he said, standing still to regain his bearings.

"Alright," Jhia said, clearing her throat, "Let's get going." Arthur walked over to Meela, putting an arm around her, and kissing her cheek, _We're in, though that could have gone better. I'm sorry, _he said through their bond in the Force. Meela visibly sighed. _It's okay, but keep it together. I don't think you would get away with anything like that from this point on._ She nestled into Arthur's embrace and the two of them followed the Mandalorian partners out of the bar.

After walking out of the bar, Arthur glanced in all directions, looking for anything that could be related to Spar, or if they were being followed, "So what's next boss?" he asked to Pac, glancing in her direction. Jhia kept her voice quiet, "We find a secure place to contact Spar." She put on her helmet and then kept guiding Orus. Arthur kept glancing around and spotted two clones on top of a building that had orange markings, _We are being watched, _Arthur sent to Meela.

"They smell fear," Jhia said, laughing, "Remember, they have Mandalorian blood in them." She turned and looked at the teenagers, "Don't worry, they don't mess with anyone around here. The Republic doesn't have any real jurisdiction in the Outer Rim. Not with their corrupt government." The Mandalorian started moving towards an indoor shipyard. It would appear that they were looking to buy a few spare parts rather than make a call.

Arthur caught on what she was doing, but had one more question, "When we get there, is there anything we should or shouldn't do? Like, 'Don't look at this guy because he'll shoot you' or anything like that?" he asked, wanting to make a good impression in Spar's gang of Mandos.

"In that case, we do smell fear," Jhia said seriously, "It takes a lot to trick a Mandalorian. Let me do all of the talking and just pretend like no one is there. They'll stare right into your soul. It's how we figure to trust someone or not." Pac made no implication that she was referring to how she knew Arthur and Meela were lying to an extent.

"Whatever you say" Arthur said, checking his six as he did so. He found it funny how they somewhat befriended someone who was actually in good with the group, rather than someone new like they had planned. Arthur didn't trust her completely, but enough to get them into the gang, which was enough for him since that's what they needed her for. _Master, I know you are busy, but we found one of your former Shan Clan friends, working for Spar, _Arthur sent to her, with a slight hint of anger still, but not as much from before.

_Jhia Pac?_ Oni asked, somewhat shocked. She must have sensed Pac's presence through Arthur. _Yes, _Arthur slightly grumbled. He was still angry that his former master neglected to tell him anything about her Mandalorian past or anything at all about it. Did she even trust him? Was everything up to this point a lie? He had to confront her about it after the mission, but not rudely since he did respect her a lot.

_I'm not surprised that she joined Spar's gang, but shocked that she's helping you. How much did you have to pay her? _The Jedi Master asked seriously. Any irritation in her voice was gone now. _I didn't pay her anything, though we struck a deal that would give her all the credit for the idea of robbing the Republic weapons cache, which will probably get her further up the ranks, and paid more anyway, _he replied, not giving her any clue to what he was thinking about before.

_Okay, that sounds more like Jhia,_ Oni sent back. _Hey, Arthur, I'm sorry for my snapping earlier. I'm not exactly in the best mood right now because….well, you know._ Her tone was genuine and apologetic. _We'll have to talk when you get back from your mission._ Arthur was thankful for the apology, but he was still holding a small grudge against her, which he figured she knew about, because it seemed as if there was nothing that she didn't know, _Yeah, _he said, with a slight hint of anger, _If I get back, _he added, more calmly. He didn't know what it was, but he felt that something terrible was going to happen on this mission and it was bugging him.

_Please, don't speak like that. You're going to come back, Arthur._ Oni said, but then her mood turned more anxious. _I'm getting a call regarding Green's status. I'll contact you afterwards and let you know._

Meela noticed Arthur spacing out and nudged him slightly. "Hey, we're almost there, wake up," she said laced with humor. Arthur gave her a smirk but it quickly vanished, as the feeling that something bad was going to happen swept over him again, but then left. "Last time you told me to 'wake up,' I had a blade in my side" he said, slightly trying to tickle her side. The Togruta, being very ticklish, pushed his hands away and held in her laughter, "Don't you dare, Arthur." She pointed a rather threatening finger at him and dare him with her eyes to try it again. Arthur grabbed her wrist and then kissed her outstretched hand, then walked off towards Jhia, leaving her standing there.

Pac turned to Arthur and gestured towards the building, "While Orus and I check in, you and your friend should pretend to look at the vehicles, just in case." She tugged on Beskar, who was swaying about and almost smacking into other people. Jhia grabbed onto his arm harder, "Geez, Beskar, I need to stop taking you to bars." Looking at Arthur, she smirked underneath her helmet, "You really knocked him out, kid."

"I'm stronger than I look" he said shrugging his shoulders, "Besides he took my mom's necklace," he said, then seeing her tilt her head elaborated, "My parents were killed when I was nine." Pac nodded, "You'd make a great Mandalorian." She managed a laugh, "A lot of us come from backgrounds like yours. My clan was killed when I was a little girl. Beskar and his brother got away from their abusive parents after being adopted by a Mando clan. Even your friend Bo didn't have the best past." Jhia smiled to herself. "We Mandalorians take care of each other. Else I wouldn't be walking for Orus here. We may not be the nicest bunch, but we make up for it in camaraderie." Arthur's face slightly fell, "Did you mean it when you said, I'd make a good Mandalorian? My current situation that I'm in might not work out, since the higher ups don't seem to really trust or like me," he asked her with all seriousness, "I'm looking for other options if this doesn't work out"

"I meant it," Jhia said, looking Arthur directly in the eye if it weren't for her helmet, "If you ever decide you need to begin a new life, consider being a Mando. Our culture might sound strange to some, but rewarding in the end. It takes years of training to be someone like the Mandalorians you're about to meet, but you have quite a few of them to spare, I'm sure." Arthur looked her right in the T visor, "Can you teach me some now, while we plan for this raid?" he asked her, intrigued about the culture.

"Well," Jhia sighed, though in thought, "You'll have to wait until after I contact Spar and see where he is. If we have time then, I'll see what I can teach you." She nodded crisply and turned back as they approached the entrance to the massive warehouse. People were flooding in and out of the area, credits in their pockets rattling. Arthur falled back to Meela as they entered and gestured for them to go left, while Jhia and Orus went right, "They are contacting Spar, and wanted us to act casual," he told her, putting his arm around her waist.

"So, look around as if we're buying something?" Meela asked, starting to glance about already. Arthur pulled her closer to him, putting his chin in the crook of her montrals, resting it lightly, "That's exactly what I mean" he said, whispering to her.

The young woman giggled, "Alright, well, what suits your fancy? A speeder?" Meela pointed towards a section of used and refurbished speeders in one corner of the warehouse. "I was thinking something more along the cruising type, one to fit us both comfortably" he said, kissing her neck lightly.

Meela raised a brow, "Oh, like?" She looked around for something of such a vague description. Arthur reste his head on her again, "You pick, and if I had the credits with me, I'd buy it right now, no hesitation" he said, rubbing her arms with his hands. "Oh, come now," the Togruta laughed, "Surely we'd need those credits for this mission. I have a feeling we'll have to pay for Jhia's loyalty at some point." She made sure to say the last sentence in a whisper.

"Oh I don't know," he whispered back, "She might be teaching me Mando culture. Maybe I'll grow on her?" he soothed to her. Meela scoffed, "I thought she was only into anything for the money?" The Togruta pulled away slightly, "You're not doing what I think you are, right?" She glanced up at Arthur with cautiously curious eyes. "No," Arthur whispered, giving her a passionate kiss on the lips. He kept his face close, but broke the kiss, "I could never leave you, but if things don't work out for me in the future, it doesn't hurt to have a back up" he said, hoping he didn't hurt her feelings.

Meela frowned. "Arthur," she said through gritted teeth, "We're here to get you back into the role of Padawan, and now you're thinking about giving that up? After meeting a Mandalorian once?" The Togruta looked around before continuing. "They're criminals, those Mandalorian Protectors! They kill Jedi and clones just because of some vendetta their leader has."

"How could you think that about me?" he asked in a whisper, "I don't want to leave the order, I don't know why you would think that" he said, calmly, not showing any anger toward her. He looked around before continuing, "You mean everything to me, and to be a Padawan again would be great" he said, but looked down at the ground after that, not wanting to see Meela's hurt face anymore.

"But you're considering it," she stated firmly, "You know there's other backup plans. Just because something goes wrong doesn't mean you should resort to the life of a bounty hunter." Arthur kept his face down, still not looking at her, "I did mull it over, but I know there are other options, but this also helps with getting close to Jhia and her possibly turning to our side in this ordeal. If she teaches me and I grow on her, she might have a hard time trying to decide on whether to help us or turn against us in the future" he said, "I didn't say I was going to become a Mando, it's just an idea, and there are plenty of other ideas, but my main priorities are my love for you and becoming a Padawan again," he said, still looking down.

Meela sighed, "Okay, but, even though I don't like their culture, becoming a Mandalorian is a commitment, and loyalty is part of their code. Don't disgrace it by pretending to learn it, or it's going to dig us a deeper grave, okay?" The Togruta pulled away and began looking at vehicles nonchalantly, as if she really was there to look around. Arthur watched her walk away and sighed standing still in his spot, occasionally glancing at the ships around him, but always lingering his eyes on his beautiful girlfriend. She was his world, and if anything happened to her, he would be devastated and torn apart on the inside. Arthur followed behind her, but kept his distance, not sure if she wanted him around after their little argument seconds ago.

After a few minutes, someone's hand grasped his shoulder and spun him around. Arthur was met with Jhia's T-visor. "Alright, kid, grab your girlfriend and let's go," she said, "The boss is on the other side of the city only for a couple hours before he moves again." Arthur nodded and walked over to Meela. He stopped near her, leaving some space between them, still not sure if she wanted him around her, "Meela," he sighed in a depressed voice, "Jhia and Orus are back and Spar is on the other side of the city for a couple hours before he moves again. They want to move so we can get there" he said, still depressed about their argument.

"Let's get going then," Meela said with a sigh. She wasn't going to press him on the issue of becoming a Mandalorian. In fact, she regretted her words somewhat. After all, not every Mandalorian is a criminal or a bounty hunter for that matter. Master Kao and Clan Shan seemed to be pure in heart and soul. But it still bugged Meela that Arthur was considering converting to the culture, as it would mean they could become enemies at some point, due to the rising tensions between Mandos and Jedi.

Arthur walked beside her, and went to put his arm around her out of habit, but retracted it, feeling he really upset her and didn't know how to fix it. He didn't want to leave the order, but the fact was he wasn't like Meela. She was a guaranteed to make Jedi Knight, and even Jedi Master. He saw it in her to be a wonderful teacher for a future Padawan. He shook his head, _I wouldn't be a good teacher for any Youngling, _he thought to himself, but he didn't quite catch the emotions in time, and knew Meela could read his mind.

Not wanting to fight, the Togruta noted what he said and then ignored it, opting to walk alongside him in peace and quiet. As they followed Jhia and Orus, Arthur moved a little closer to her and put his arm around her, hoping she would allow him to do so. He wanted to apologize for ever thinking of leaving the Order, which included her, but didn't know how to word it.

"Just let it out, Arthur," Meela said kindly, rested her head against Arthur. She kept her voice quiet, only so that Jhia and Orus didn't hear her. Arthur focused on Orus, who was walking ahead of him, "Hey Orus, I'm sorry for what I did earlier to you, and for any pain it caused you," Arthur said loud enough for Orus to hear, but he gripped Meela tighter, trying to imply the best he could, to show that he was really apologizing to her, but did it addressing Orus, so he could talk freely and not have to whisper and draw possible suspicion to them.

The Togruta's eyes widened slightly and she grasped Arthur's hand. Through the Force, she accepted his apology and drew her boyfriend closer. Arthur was thankful she accepted his apology so quickly, and made a note to do the same when he met with Oni after the mission. "Yeah whatever" Orus mouthed back to him. Arthur shook his head, and held Meela as close as he could to him. As he followed the Mandalorians, with his girlfriend nestled against him, Arthur couldn't help but think about what Master Kao was going through back at the Temple….

**(Jedi Temple) **

Oni opened the door to her room and walked in sullenly. Plopping down on her bed, she leaned back and took a deep breath. A series of beeps and chirps came from the corner of the room, but the Jedi Master didn't react. The bronze-plated astromech rolled towards her master and gently bumped into the side of her leg, trying to earn her attention.

"Not right now, 'Cee," Kao said exasperated. R8-C9 bumped Oni again and buzzed at her with sass. "Do I look okay to you?" the woman asked rhetorically, peeking at her droid with a glare. 'Cee reached out a utility arm to poke the Jedi in response to her attitude. "Ouch," Oni exclaimed before kicking the astromech, though not harshly. "I don't want to talk about it," she said, "Having to deal with seeing him like that was hard enough, I don't want to go over it."

R8 beeped softly this time, practically giving Kao the equivalent of puppy dog eyes. Oni sighed in defeat and sat up, though got dizzy from the speed of the motion. "Alright," she mumbled through gritted teeth, earning an excited buzz from the astromech. "He's fine for now. He just got out of surgery, which went well, but the extent of his injuries...Well, it's going to take him awhile to regain his full physical ability for a few months so they're going to put him on police duty here on Coruscant until he's ready."

'Cee chirped in a confused manner. Oni smiled for the first time in days and looked at the astromech, "I know, stupid idea right? But it's better than the alternative." R8 whirred in agreement and put her utility arm away, rolling up to snuggle against the Jedi Master's leg. Oni grinned and rested a hand atop her spherical head. "It's going to be okay, 'Cee. He'll be back."

After a couple of moments, Kao's eyes widened. "Oh! I forgot to tell Arthur!"

**(Bespin) **

Arthur had lost track of time as they walked through the city, but he still had Meela close to him and smiled at how much they have grown together the past several months since he became a Youngling. He was determined to get his Padawan rank back, and this mission was his ticket to do so. He continued to follow Jhia and Orus, and figured they didn't have long to go until they reached their destination.

_Arthur, are you in a situation in which we can speak?_ Oni sent through the Force urgently. Her tone was alert yet positive. Arthur jumped slightly at hearing his master's voice in his head, but quickly calmed himself, _Yeah, just walking through the city to get to the location where we will meet Spar, _he sent back, drawing circles on Meela's arm. He should tell her, but since they started their relationship, Arthur was more calm and relaxed and he felt better than he ever did since joining the Jedi Order.

_Okay, well I just went to go see Green,_ Oni said. _He just got out of surgery, which went well. They're putting him on security detail on Coruscant until he regains his full potential. _She radiated relief and joy in her voice.

_That's good to hear, _he answered, not wanting to talk in long periods of time, trying to stay mainly focused on the mission ahead of him, _How are you holding up? _he asked her.

_I'm still in shock that all of this happened, Arthur._ Oni seemed a bit more anxious now. _I'm just stressing over-you know what, complete your mission, come back, and I'll tell you everything. Even to the last detail, okay? Just do what you went to do and come back a Padawan. _She paused for a moment. _I know you think I keep you from a lot of things and that's why you're angry,-yes, I know-,but I base my actions on the good of others. Know that there are things I must keep from you until later on._

_You do keep me from a lot of things, Meela knows more about you than I do. How do you think that makes me feel? To know that you keep secrets and for all I know now, lie to me, to what? Keep me safe? _he asked, anger present, but not as much as before.

_Keeping a secret is different from lying, young one,_ Oni said firmly. _If I felt you needed to know something, I would tell you. What your friend knows is because she went out looking for that information and got it, without my knowledge or permission. Besides, you haven't been my Padawan long enough to learn much about me. That is why I said I would tell you everything when you return._ Arthur was somewhat satisfied, but still had a question, _ But you don't mean everything though do you? _he asked rather sternly, even for him.

Oni was about to say something before a wave of anger washed over her. _Alright, Arthur, you want to know everything? I said I would tell you, and you still don't believe me, even though you're the only one I trust with my secret? I know you told Meela._ Pausing, the anger and aggression increased to a boiling point. _First, I had to deal with my Padawan being taken away from me, then my husband getting stabbed and almost dying, and then my former Padawan calling me a liar!_

After a moment, Kao erupted._ How do you think that makes me feel, Arthur?! _Arthur visibly hung his head, _I'm sorry. I…_ he paused searching for words, _I'm sorry for what I said and telling your secret. I'm just tired of secrets, I just want to know the truth _he admitted. He held on to Meela a little tighter, wanting to feel her presence to calm himself.

The Togruta noticed the turmoil within Arthur, but didn't want to bring it up in front of Jhia and Orus. She squeezed him tighter and tried to send comfort through the Force.

Kao didn't reply and shut the connection, completely severing their master and apprentice bond temporarily. Arthur sighed at the lost of connection, but was brought back to reality when Orus spoke, "We're here" he said.

Jhia turned to Arthur and Meela, trying to get their attention. "Remember what I told you," she said, separating the two until they were a foot apart, "Act tough but calm and don't look anyone in the eyes, er, visor. Come on, let's go." Meela glanced at Arthur for a moment, somewhat scared, before she looked forwards once more and started walking. Arthur started walking forward, but kept closer to Meela and Jhia, since she knew what she was doing. They approached the group and Arthur did his best not to look around a lot.

There were Mandalorians doing random things, but as soon as Arthur and Meela walked in, they stopped and stared at the strangers. It seemed as though their T-visors and scrutinizing gazes were glued to the Jedi Younglings as they passed. An aggressive aura came over the gathering and lingered. The fact that the two were traveling with Jhia and Orus didn't seem to make an impact. It went to show how low in the hierarchy the bounty hunters were.

Arthur kept his gaze forward, wishing he had brought his helmet, so he could cover his face, but it didn't matter really, as he put the most emotionless face on he could. "Ahhh, so the prodigal Mandalorian has returned" came a voice from the crowd, but Arthur couldn't see who said it.

Jhia glanced over her shoulder at Arthur and motioned for him and Meela to stay put. Spinning on her heels, the Mando pushed past a couple Protectors and disappeared off towards the voice. Orus turned to Arthur and Meela. "She's gonna go speak with the boss before you can go over there," he said, motioning towards the two Protectors blocking their path now.

"So we could be here a while?" he asked, not trying to survey the scene and draw suspicion to him and Meela. Orus chuckled, "Pretty much. Spar likes to have a good conversation. Plus, Jhia's trying to get on his good side."

Arthur lightly elbowed Meela, _That's why she wanted to deliver our plan _he said in a very low whisper, or what he thought was a whisper to Meela through the Force. Meela flashed him a glance that said, 'that wasn't very quiet'. Arthur knew what the stare was and couldn't help it that he was a little out of focus at the moment, thinking about how to get a hold of his former master when he found some downtime, but he cleared his mind and focused on the here and now rather than the later.

Quite some time had past now and Arthur had grown anxious. Jhia had went in there a long time ago and still hadn't returned yet, and questions flooded his mind about being figured out already, and if they were, what would they do, if they even had a chance to react among all these Mandalorian sharpshooters.

Eventually the bounty hunter returned, pulling back the guards a little harshly. "He's interested," Pac said calmly, "But he wants to see if you can persuade him to really go for the cache." She folded her arms across her chest, "Plan out your case. Spar is a logical and detail-oriented man. He's a clone, after all."

If Arthur wasn't nervous before, he was now, "Yeah" he tried to say with a certain command and authority, but it came out shaky. After embarrassing himself, he put his hand on the back of his head, scratching it. Meela turned to Jhia, "Can I speak with him alone for a moment?" The bounty hunter eyed out the Togruta for a second before nodding. Looking at the guards, Jhia gestured for them to move on, her and Orus walking away as well.

Once they were out of earshot, Meela sighed. "Well, what would Green go for? You know him well enough, so what kind of argument would he believe?" she asked Arthur. Arthur looked at her, putting pieces together, "I have to be assertive and sure of myself, no hesitation. It makes it look like I know what I'm talking about" he answered her, his nerves from earlier, practically gone.

"Mhmm," Meela hummed, "This may appeal to the clone side of him, but stand up straight and confident, arms crossed. Kinda ups the seriousness of the room whenever a clone does that."

Arthur nodded and headed for the the entrance to Spar's quarters, but as he approached where the guards were once, a voice spoke out, "So, Jhia tells me of this plan of hers, but I need someone to convince me that it works," the voice said, "She said you might know Republic tactics that can help us." Arthur's nerves slightly rose, but he pushed them down, fear wasn't going to control him. He pushed on entering the quarters as he spoke, "I speak on a regular basis to Master Oni Kao, also known as Bo Shan. I have learned how the Republic thinks and acts in certain situations" he said, crossing his arms in mid speech, noticing a man in Mandalorian armor sitting on a chair.

The clone turned Mandalorian leaned forward in his chair, putting down a glass of spice to show Arthur had his attention. "So you're part of the Republic? You should know now that I don't deal well with their kind. If not, explain to me how you know such a key figure to my enemy's plots."

Arthur kept himself from gulping in fear, and carried his strong and commanding persona, "I saved her life a while back, and we have remained friends, though we don't quite agree on how to view the Republic. Our disagreement hinders our relations, but we still find the time to talk when we aren't busy," Arthur answered sternly, showing his confidence in his reply, something he lacked when talking to Jhia earlier.

"Hmm," Spar said, sitting back comfortably, "I assume that she hopefully doesn't know you're here. Clan Shan and I aren't on good terms right now after our last encounter. Would be a shame if you lost your contact and only reason for me to allow you to stick around." Grabbing the glass again, the man took a sip and narrowed his eyes at Arthur daringly.

"Business is business, and I don't talk to her, or anyone for that matter, about my current business transactions," Arthur said, still very confident, "Turns potential clients away, and I have to keep my pockets full of credits," Arthur said, showing a stern face.

Spar smirked somewhat. "I like you already," he said, "Well, son, what can you tell me about this cache? I take any chance to damage the Republic seriously." Arthur cracked his neck before continuing, "The cache is guarded by a group of clones from Master Kao's Tenth Star Corp, but they are being led by Jedi General, Obi-Wan Kenobi, who alone is very valuable to the right buyer. The cache will arrive at these coordinates," said Arthur, pulling out a holodisk, that projected the coordinates in front of Spar. The set of coordinates were actually not that far from their current location, which also helped, "The Republic's influence isn't strong out this far, so the number of clones that they will have to guard the cache is far less than the usual number they have" he said, giving Spar insight into why pulling this heist was a good idea, and to show Spar that he does his homework thoroughly.

"I'll still have my warriors there to provide some overkill then," the clone said rather maliciously, "Alright, you've convinced me enough I believe. Now, I've already heard Jhia's demands and considered them. What are yours?"

"Nothing over the top" Arthur said, using a slight hint of cockiness, but nothing too overdone, so that Spar didn't think he was actually cocky, "A single payment for services rendered in the form of credits. Shall we say 20% of the value inside the cache?" he asked. Spar hummed in thought, appreciating Arthur's demand. "I agree to your terms, but I'll let you know that I share the value of our finds equally amongst my Protectors. If this is a one time event, then your demands make sense, but if you were to, say join our merry band, you could be receiving a regular cut to fill those pockets of yours."

The man finished his drink and stood up casually, "I could use clever minds like yours, Arthur." Arthur allowed a small smile to appear, showing he accepted the compliment, "I shall think over your gracious offer to join your band" he said, not daring to leave however before he was dismissed by Spar.

The Jedi Youngling in disguise was offered a handshake and a smile. "Good," he said, "Get back to me as soon as you can. I'd like to go after that cache after my soldiers are debriefed." Arthur gave a small nod and turned to leave, finding Meela in a conversation with Orus and Jhia, so he made his way over to them.

The three turned their heads towards him. "So, did he agree?" Jhia asked, a little nervous. After all, her place within the Protectors was at stake. Arthur looked at her with a smirk, "Does a Mandalorian hit their target every time?" he asked, feeling rather accomplished at pulling one over on Spar.

Orus and Jhia shook their heads, "Eh, not really." Meela sighed, though smiled a bit, "Any special requests of His Majesty to get him to agree to it?" Arthur shook his head, "He didn't really demand anything from me, except to show him how to get around Republic tactics, and he did offer me a place within his ranks" he said, looking towards Jhia and Orus, but mostly Jhia, to see how she'd react.

The Mandalorian woman, if she felt any anger, did not show it. She nodded in simple understanding. "Did you discuss payment then as well?" she asked Arthur. Arthur nodded his head in reply, "That's when he asked me to join. I asked for 20% of the value of what was inside those crates, and he agreed though he told me everyone in his 'band' was paid equally and that I could receive a regular cut, if I joined as well" he said to Jhia, though he looked at everyone as he talked.

Meela could feel the tension growing between the two. Orus didn't seem too affected by the news at all, except for content at another mission and more credits his way. Jhia on the other hand radiated anger and hate. She scoffed. "After one encounter he asked you to join the Protectors? You don't even know our culture yet, I haven't had the slightest bit of time to teach you. You see all of us here? We're either bounty hunters or Mandalorian police born and raised on Mandalore. It took most of us months to fit in right with Spar."

Arthur shrugged his shoulders, "He was impressed with how I handled myself in his presence, and said he could always use more clever minds" Arthur said, now feeling the anger and hate within Jhia.

Pac nodded once more and turned, "Well, don't let your guard down. This is Spar we're talking about. Trust me, he's the Mandalorian version of Jabba the Hutt if you ask me. Piss him off and you're out of here."

"Well let's hope that never happens. I really don't think I do have a choice in joining or not. If I am to not piss him off, then isn't that what I would do? What if I refused to join his Mandalorian crew?" Arthur asked, wondering if Spar was testing him somehow, "I mean I don't even know the first thing about Mandalorian culture, so I wouldn't fit in, even if I did want to" he said, weighing his options.

"You're damned if you do and damned if you don't," Pac answered seriously, "This isn't some peace-loving rebellion or secret resistance force. This is a gang of Mandalorians swayed by a clone that has claimed title of _Mand'alor_ even though he doesn't deserve it." Lucky for Jhia, none of her Mandalorian brothers and sisters were around to hear that, except for Orus, who really didn't have a preference for either side of the argument.

Arthur went wide eyed at this, "Jhia, keep your voice down. You want us all to get shot before we even get to start on this mission?" asked Arthur, looking around to make sure no one heard them. Arthur then got a curious face, "If you don't like Spar," he said, but made sure it was at a very low whisper so no one could hear, "Why try to get on his good side?" he asked curiously.

"There's no one around," Pac pointed out, "It's somewhat insulting that you would think I'd be so clumsy. And like I said, I'm in it for the money right now and since my clan and the Republic hates me, Spar is my only option. Don't even suggest I start working for scum like Jabba or those pesky Weequay pirates."

"Could I ask you something in private?" Arthur asked Jhia, rather cautiously. He made eye contact with Meela, who narrowed her eyes with a 'don't you dare' look, but Arthur gave her a 'trust me' one back to her. He found it funny that they could speak in looks and know what the other was saying, without using the Force to communicate. He then brought his attention back to Jhia.

"Go ahead," the woman said politely, gesturing for him to do so. She was still very wary of this teenager and was trying to figure out in her head who he really was. He must be with the Republic for him to know Shan so well. Jhia gestured with her head for Arthur to follow her, and so he nodded and followed close behind her into a nearby room. Arthur looked around taking in the view, which wasn't was a desk with a chair, a simple cot, and a storage bin which likely held her clothes and possessions.

Arthur sat in the silver, metal chair, while the Mandalorian woman sat to the side of the same-colored desk, facing Arthur and waiting for him to speak.

Arthur looked her in the T-visor and started to talk, though quietly still, "I am secretly part of the Republic, which you probably figure out, from your lack of emotions. Yes I can sense your feelings and emotions, making me a Jedi nonetheless. The Republic ordered me and my hired help to take down Spar, and we still need at least one more person to help us take him down, and I am asking you if you'd like to help. If you agree, I will answer any questions you have of me, and if you decide to not help and side with Jabba out there, then I will turn myself in with no struggle as long as Meela walks free" he finished, holding out his fists together waiting to be binded if she wished to turn him in. He looked at her with the most trusting face he could ever show, allowing her to see that he really did trust her, and he wasn't just trying to turn her over to his side.

Jhia took in the information and pondered in thought as she looked away. "You being a Jedi both gives you my trust and my caution," she said, "As you know, Jedi and Mandalorians don't get along too well. I only got along with your friend so well because the clan trusted her. Your not being in that group does make me question your loyalties when it really comes down to whose side you would pick in battle if it were to ever occur."

Taking a deep breath, the woman continued. "However, I have found that working for the Separatists is not as fulfilling as it might seem. I have considered asking Bo for a favor or two, having the past we do, but am not able to because of the mistake I made by joining the Mandalorian Protectors. I know names and locations that could help the Republic fight back against Spar's anarchy, tactics as well. Can you promise me that you'll speak on my behalf if I decide to switch sides?"

"I promise, and for my loyalties, I am with the people I trust to the end," he said, still keeping his hands out for her to bind if she chose to do so still, though he now doubted it. Arthur then after waiting for her to look back at him added something else, "In exchange for answering any questions you may have at the end of our chat here, I wish for you to teach me your ways and culture. Not only will I learn, but it will give us an excuse to relay information back and forth between us" he said, hoping she'd accept.

"Even as a Jedi Knight you would learn a contradicting culture?" Jhia asked, somewhat surprised. Arthur looked down and shook his head at what she said, "I am not a Jedi Knight" he said slightly depressed. Pac raised a brow, "I thought you said you were a Jedi? If not Knight, then what title do you hold?"

Arthur cringed slightly, hoping that when he told her about his title, that she would change her mind about what she said, "I was a Padawan, but was demoted to a Youngling, and I now am trying to prove to them I am ready to earn back my rank. This mission is that test" he said truthfully to her, keeping his promise to answer all her questions.

"I'm not malicious enough to get in the way of your becoming a Knight," Jhia said, "But I'm not interested in risking the life of a learner or taking responsibility for it. I won't consent to train you until after the mission is complete. Even then, you will be going back to your Order. How do you suppose that I will teach you the Mandalorian culture?"

"Please, I don't know if the life of a Jedi is where I even belong. I was demoted already once, and the Council doesn't really like me that much, so they could pass me up on my promotion and promote someone else instead of me. I am not like other Jedi that are closed minded to cultures that defy what theirs stands for" he argued, trying to get her to start his training.

"I understand," Jhia said, trying to placate him, "The only thing I can morally agree to is the basics or something. When we attack your cache, which I assume is a trap for Spar, you'll need to know the signals and lingo we use to communicate." Arthur nodded, taking her answer as an acceptable one, "Thank you" he said to her sincerely.

"Alright," Pac said, "We don't have much time, but I believe that as a Jedi, you'll be able to memorize these things quickly. Let's get started." Arthur nodded and gave Jhia his complete focus as she started. He was a little slow at first, but started to pick things up rather quickly, and began to copy signs and other things as she taught him.

**Patch: So, I feel left out…**

**Resist: *puts hand on Patch's shoulder* Hey man, you're in the next chapter. You play a pretty important role, if I do say so myself.**

**Green: Spoiler alert! Hey, am I in there? **

**Echo: Nope. *whispers to the audience* Spoiler alert. Sorry...no I'm not. **

**Oni: Why do you guys always break the fourth wall with this story? **

**Resist: *puts hands up defensively* I was just trying to cheer up Patch over here. He hasn't been mentioned in like 10 chapters! Give or take some. **

**Echo: Oni, we break the fourth wall because we can. *explosions in the background***

**Green: So, can you, like, get me out of the hospital in the next chapter? **

**Resist: *staring at the explosions* Maybe *says in a trance* Too bad Sabine isn't here.**

**Arthur: What's a Sabine?**

**Resist: She's out of your league *whispers so no one can here* Not mine though**

**Echo: Don't let Ezra hear you say that, man. **

**Everyone but Resist and Echo: Who's Ezra? **

**Resist: I can take him. Ezra is pretty cool though. Anyhow, these characters don't come in till later and Echo and I don't own them either. **

**Echo: Unfortunately. Well, guys, thank you so much for stopping by and reading our chaos of a reality TV show. Please don't forget to leave a review and stop by again. We're gonna mess up Arthur's life even more! :) **

**Resist: Can't wait to see what we have in store for him next. *rubs hands together evilly***

**Arthur: Just great**


	23. Emotions Part IV

**Echo: Yay, first comment! **

**Arthur: It only took you 23 chapters *starts to laugh, but feels pain in the stomach, and looks across the room to see Resist with an evil grin and holding a pencil and paper***

**Echo: One, I got first comment last time. Two, we're your bosses...so respect the pouch! **

**Resist: Ha! Good one. Arthur, you ok? *chuckles some***

**Arthur: What do you think?**

**Resist: I don't think….I know. Get it right kid. **

**Green: I fear for my job now.**

**Echo: Good. Resist, who are we gonna force to do the disclaimer? *laughs maniacally when the cast cowers in fear* **

**Resist: What about Patch? He hasn't talked much recently and has been quiet for too long in this story. **

**Patch: *shakes in terror* I don't wanna! *holds out syringe in defense* **

**Resist: Alright, just giving you a chance to speak is all. I need a volunteer, so someone please step forward *Everyone steps back one step except for Jhia* **

**Jhia: Fek. **

**Resist: Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?**

**Jhia: Even if I didn't kiss anyone, I'd still have more game than Arthur. *smirks* **

**Echo: Put your big Mando pants on and say the disclaimer. **

**Jhia: Fine *sigh* Resist and Echo don't own Star Wars or its characters. They only own their OCs and their demented, twisted version of The Bachelor, also known as "Arthur's Sad Love Life". Did that work for you guys? **

**Resist: Real quick, please check out my profile and read the stories Nightrider and The Man of Shadow. Both are about superheroes and us humans trying to quickly come up with ways of keeping heroes and villains, and just metahumans in general in check. Both stories take place in the same universe too, so things will get really exciting later on.**

**Resist: I liked it. *coughs to get announcer voice* Our undercover Jedi with their new ally, now set out to trap one of the galaxy's top criminal masterminds, a clone who thinks he is Mandalore the Resurrector. Our trio now plans on how to arrest Spar during the mission, while several clones prepare for the ambush… **

Patch stood in the medical center of the _Vigilance_ taking inventory before the big mission. The 66th's main medic didn't get nervous often, but this was one of those rare occasions. The self-proclaimed Mand'alor knew their tactics and Arthur may or may not be able to have their backs on this one. They didn't have Green to lead them anymore, or the general, and things have been growing tense within the battalion. Patch felt a hand on his shoulder and practically jumped out of his armor. "Patch, easy! Little jumpy?" asked a clone that was behind him. Patch turned around to see Sgt. Smoke standing in front of him.

"For good reason," Patch said seriously, "Everyone here is jumpy, waiting for their chance to get at Spar's throat. He returned to looking at his datapad, trying to focus once more. Smoke just shook his head at Patch's increased focus on this mission, so he started to walk away, letting the medic go back to checking inventory. Sure they were going up against Spar, who used to be a clone, but this guy went rogue and was one of the biggest lunatics that Smoke ever knew, so he treated this like any other mission.

The medic wanted to believe they were going to make it out unscratched, but something told him they were marching with death on their doorstep.

**(Time Skip brought to by: enter story title here)**

Patch and the other clones, with Kenobi stood around the cache waiting for their target. Patch then heard something from his right and looked in that direction, to see a streak of red go past his head. Taking cover behind the cache, Patch watched as Mandalorians came down at them. Smoke gave the signal and the squads split up and took cover behind the crates they were "delivering".

Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber and deflected a few shots before joining the sergeant. "Well, it looks like Arthur convinced him," the Jedi Master said, peeking around the crate to try and get a glimpse at their competition. "And quite a few Mandalorians as well."

"The kid is too smooth for his own good" Sgt. Smoke said, as he popped up and shot some shots, several hitting one target, and dropping the Mando to the ground motionless. "Sir, I don't see Spar" yelled Smoke, who tried to peek and look, but several blaster rounds landed on the cache close to his helmet, making him duck again.

"I don't see him, Smoke," Kenobi responded, "He's probably waiting, ready for a secondary attack." The Jedi sighed, "I don't sense Arthur with these warriors. He must be with Spar, waiting as well." Smoke, smirked under his helmet, "So that means we don't have to go easy on these guys then" he said, as he got up and fired off another volley, taking out some more of the Mandos.

**(Spar's Side)**

Jhia, who stood next to Spar, watched as their troops descended onto the Republic weapons cache, and surprised the clones on duty. She watched, but the more the battle went on, the more it looked like the Republic was actually waiting for them, despite the Mandos having the upper hand early. Jhia also noticed a Jedi was among the cones as well.

Arthur and Meela, also stood on a building with Jhia and Spar, as they watched their clones fight back against the Mandalorians. Spar also noticed the Republic had looked ready for them and walked several paces in front of the other three and quickly spun around to face them and drew his gun, "One of you, tricked me into falling for this...set up" he said through gritted teeth, "Was it you Jhia?" he asked, pointing the gun on her, but keeping an eye on Arthur and Meela, "You presented these plans to me!" he growled, looking like he was ready to pull the trigger on her.

Arthur watched this go down and he didn't want Jhia to take the blame for this. Jhia had took him under her wing and taught him some Mandalorian culture, to see if he was still interested in learning to become a Mandalorian, so against his better judgement, Arthur walked towards Spar and got on his knees, "It was I who set you up Spar, The Republic came to me a couple days after joining your crew and offered me credits beyond my imagination if I helped them bring you in. Neither of them had nothing to do with this," he said, putting his hands behind his head.

Spar looked down at him, pointing his blaster at Arthur now, "So you are to blame for this," he said, his anger still building up inside and it wasn't even close to reaching it's boiling point, "This news is rather depressing. Jhia spoke highly of you to me, about how you were willing to learn our culture and to possibly make the conversion, now she gets to see you die in front of her own eyes. I'll deal with her after I litter the ground with your blood" he said, but as he went to pull the trigger, the sound of several blasters being loaded nearby pierced the tension filled air.

Spar turned immediately to see a group of six clones, their guns pointed at everyone, "Spar you are under arrest for...AHH!" the clone, Sgt. Tag, screamed, unable to finish his sentence when Spar let loose a volley of shots. The clones took immediate cover as Spar and Jhia shot back, while Arthur and Meela took cover and randomly fired shots into the air, not wanting to kill any of their clone allies, but also wanted to put on a good show for Spar.

Meela gasped when she looked back at Tag's limp body. "Do you think he's dead?" she asked Arthur, eyes wide and full of fear. Were they to blame for his death? Could she have done something to stop it? These thoughts played about in the Togruta's mind as she continued to fire.

Arthur ducked behind cover and pulled Meela down as well, "Hey," he addressed her softly, "I need you to focus ok? You need to get use to these types of things, I know it is terrible, but we need to get out of this for their sake," he said, gesturing toward the body of Sgt. Tag.

"I understand," Meela started, "But he was your Master's friend and he was on _our_ side. How many more of our friends are going to die?"

Arthur peeked up and fired a couple more shots over the heads of the clones, before ducking back down, "I don't know the answer. Green and Oni told me to not think about those kinda questions" he replied, not knowing how to really answer her, since it was a question he toyed with as well.

Meela looked away in shame and refused to pull the trigger any longer. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Pac hesitating as well. Arthur stopped as well, not wanting anymore clones to get shot in this fake fight he was having. _I'm sorry, _he said in general, but also to Meela for having her go through this charade.

Jhia knew they were outnumbered and threw her weapon down, allowing the clones to move in closer to Spar, but Arthur made a move toward the crazy Mando himself before the clones did, and was able to get the jump on Spar and the two fought it out barehanded.

The two rolled around on the ground, trading blows at each other as they did so. Among the clones, was Sgt. Smoke, who cautiously moved forward, his gun still drawn and pointed at Spar and Arthur, waiting for an opportunity to stun Spar, and take him in alive. The other clones moved in slowly as well, but had their blasters trained on the others.

Arthur had his back on the ground as Spar looked down on the Youngling, punching his face over and over. Arthur decided it was time to show Spar and Jhia his secret and used the force and pushed Spar off of him. Spar flew across the platform and hit a building, plopping down beside his gun. He went to grab the gun, but clones were all over him and dragged him over to Jhia and Meela, who were now sitting on the ground with their hands up, while the clones had their guns pointed at them.

Arthur was talking to Sgt. Smoke and some others about the mission, when Spar reached one of Jhia's hidden blasters and aimed for Arthur and fired a shot, "Arthur!" someone yelled, and Arthur spun around, in time to see Sgt. Smoke lying on the ground and Meela and Jhia tackling Spar to the ground, trying to grab the gun from his hands, but the gun went off during the struggle and the clones rushed over to see who was injured, while Arthur bent down to take a look at Smoke. He fell down to his knees and to remember his medical training as took off Smoke's helmet, but as he tried to remember, Smoke grabbed the collar of Arthur's black shirt, leaving a visible blood stain.

"Kid, you need to get him into custody," the sergeant said in a raspy voice, "That's your mission now." Arthur shook his head quickly, "No, I need to get you out of here" he said, moving to pick up Smoke as he said those words. But the clone pushed him back and pointed towards the chaos in front of them. "I've already done my job, now you need to do yours."

When Smoke saw that Arthur wasn't budging, he sighed, ignoring the taste of blood in his mouth. Everything was beginning to turn fuzzy and he struggled to look at the Youngling. "Arthur, go. I get to…..to be with….my brothers now." Coughing up the red liquid, the clone that saw Arthur more as a brother than a Jedi looked him in the eye. "Make it to the end, kid. Give Green a good ol' 'oorah' for me, would ya?" Reaching underneath the body suit covering his neck, Smoke pulled out his ID tags and held them out to Arthur.

Arthur started to visibly tear up, "No" he said, more sternly, "This can't happen, it's not fair" he said, clenching a fist he had on laying on Smoke's chestplate. The man smiled, "Thanks for always…...having my back….Arthur. It was an honor…..to have yours today." Smoke's eyes began to close as his breathing slowed. The metal tags dropped down onto his abdomen and his hand slumped down against his side. His head rolled back and his chest heaved for the last time. Blood dripped down his neck, onto the ground, a bright red trail against a dark gray body.

Arthur grabbed the ID tags and took his necklace and threaded it through, so they dropped down beside his mother's ring. Arthur grew with anger at losing his best friend and not caring if he blew his cover grabbed the two pieces of metal and connected them and then pointed the metal down to the ground and a blue blade ignited, the tip hitting the snow, causing a small sizzling sound. He then walked toward Spar, who was wrestling on the ground with Meela and Jhia, anger and hate clearly visible.

Meela turned and saw the look in his eyes. She immediately got out of the struggle and stood up to face him. "Arthur, no!" she screamed, holding her hands out in front of her. The Togruta knew what Arthur was planning to do and also knew they needed to take Spar in alive. Jhia noticed Meela's absence and calculated that she couldn't fight off an Alpha-class clone by herself. Shoving Spar away, she was able to get him to look around. He had heard the lightsaber ignite. Seeing Arthur, his face devolved into a scowl.

Arthur stopped, but he kept his blade ignited, "This ends right now. I don't care if we drag him in or we carry him in a bodybag" he said angrily, matching the look Spar was giving him. "That's not the Jedi way, Arthur," Meela said through gritted teeth. This made Spar snort. "I knew it all along," he said, "Something smelled distasteful and untrustworthy about you two from the beginning. Jedi, there isn't a strand of good in any of you."

"Look in the mirror Spar if you want to see something distasteful and untrustworthy" shot Arthur, not moving forward or making any motion to move Meela out of his way. To be honest, she kept him in check by staying close to him. The Togruta nudged him further away, but looked back at Spar. "You Mandalorians aren't any better. I don't see a thread of good in any of _you_. We fight to keep peace, while you fight to fill your pockets. You claim to be of honor, and take a title that you earned from killing peacekeepers."

Jhia looked down at this. Arthur looked her way giving her a look that he believed in her even though he didn't know her long. He hoped she would do the right thing and help them bring in Spar, but what they needed right now was a distraction so they could move in on him. Spar chuckled at the Youngling. "Peacekeepers leading a war front? Hypocrites."

Obi-Wan and several clones appeared from behind Spar, "Give it up Spar, you are surrounded and outnumbered. Please come quietly and no harm will come to you" said Kenobi, blade raised and pointed at Spar. Arthur finally raised his and pointed it as well.

Spar somewhat smirked and began raising his hands. But before anyone could approach and detain him, he pressed a button on his forearm armor and his jetpack activated. The man flew off, knowing that the clones wouldn't shoot at him if they wanted him alive. Arthur grumbled, but didn't try to pursue the man and went back to Smoke's now lifeless body and knelt down on his knees and whispered quietly, "I let you down" Arthur spoke, "I'm so sorry" he said softly, some tears finding their way down his face.

Arthur walked over to Jhia and stood in front of her, not raising his head to meet her eyes, "I trust you'll cooperate?" he asked, but his voice was cold. Pac nodded crisply without a word and gestured for Arthur to do what was necessary. She had no place now, and would need to cooperate if she were to win favor with the Jedi and the Republic.

He then led Jhia over to Master Kenobi, "Master, this is Jhia Pac. She has knowledge on Spar and knows names and places that can help the Republic" said Arthur, but he did the same thing he did to Kenobi as he did Jhia, his head was slightly down and only stared at Kenobi's chest and not making eye contact.

Arthur then made his way over to Smoke's body again. He stared at it and he felt emptiness inside of him. Arthur then bent down and placed his arms under Smoke and picked him up so he was slung over Arthur's right shoulder and he started to walk toward one of Kenobi's gunships, so Smoke got a proper burial that he deserved. Patch looked at the kid carrying the lifeless body of Smoke and felt bad for him. He was well on his way to actually getting control of his emotions inside of him, and now this happened.

He watched the scene unfold before him for a little, before returning back to doing some field work on some wounded clones during the firefight. In his mind, Patch tried to conjure up a way to tell General Kao and Commander Green about Smoke's death with the least amount of pain. The sergeant had started out in the 66th as a rookie a few months after the Battle of Geonosis and was one of Green's most trusted men since. His death will leave a scar on all of them for the rest of the war and then some. He saw Arthur hand over Smoke's body to some clones that were already aboard the gunship and watched as the ship's doors closed and took off with Smoke's body, but others as well. Arthur stood at the spot where he gave the troopers on the gunship Smoke's body, staring up at the sky.

Pac hadn't known too much about where Spar was heading, but was able to expose a few places the Republic could scout out. With his hierarchy in shambles, the clone would have to focus on rebuilding his ranks before making another appearance. Jhia had made a good impression on Kenobi, the beginning of a good repor with the Jedi Order that would hopefully rub off on Oni Kao.

Taking her leave from Obi-Wan's presence, Jhia headed towards Arthur, intent on relieving some of the pain he was enduring. Staring out at the permanent orange-sunset of Bespin, the Mandalorian nudged Perry. "He died honorably," she said, "A death a Mandalorian respects and hopes for. Your friend's death will not be in vain."

Arthur didn't look at her, not wanting her to see the tears that were streaming down his face, though he figured she already saw, "Teach me" he said to her in a mumble. He paused a long time before continuing, "The clones that fight are Mandalorian, and I want to honor Smoke the most I can" Arthur spoke quietly to her, "I didn't capture Spar and I let him down by not finishing the mission" he finished, still looking at the setting sun.

Jhia smiled at this. "You'll honor Smoke, I can guarantee that, and every Mandalorian you've seen die on the battlefield." With that, Pac gave Arthur's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before departing, wanting to leave him to savor that promise and commit it to memory. Arthur watched the sun for a couple more seconds before turning to go back to everyone. "Council report time?" he asked, trying to sound like his usual self, but it didn't come out the way he wanted it to.

Patch looked up from stitching up a corporal and raised a brow at Arthur. The other men had curious looks as well, not needing Jedi powers to sense his unusual tone. Kenobi remained calm and neutral, turning towards Arthur. "As soon as all of the men are ready to move, we'll head back to Coruscant and report our findings."

Meela swallowed hard, feeling a bit of dread. She wondered if the Council would be displeased with the outcome of the mission and belay their becoming Padawans.

**TIME SKIP brought to you by Arthur's Wrecked Love Life**

Arthur stood outside the Council room's doors, sitting on the bench with Meela next to him. Out of instinct, and unaware that he was doing it, grabbed her hand that was laying on the bench they both sat in. He wanted to feel her next to him because she was his rock that kept him in check and helped ease his pain that swirled around inside of him.

The Togruta sucked in a breath when he did that and looked around to ensure no one had seen the motion. It could have been merely taken as an action of friendship, but Meela still felt panic. "I'm not so sure you'll be able to get away with that in the meeting," she said, her voice laced with humor and concern at the same time. She held tightly onto Arthur's hand, sending waves of comfort through the Force.

Arthur actually allowed a small smile to appear on his face, but it quickly left, "I know. That's why I did it now" he said, before he started to draw small circles on her hand.

"We managed to get vital information on Spar's dealings and gray areas in our defenses," Meela said, "I'm sure that's just as good as bringing him in. Has Kao said anything to you about the mission yet?" Arthur shook his head, No," he mumbled with a small amount of anger, "She hasn't said a word to me since we were inside Spar's compound. She hasn't even tried to contact me even after Smoke's…" he couldn't bring himself to say 'death'.

"Don't be angry with her," Meela said sternly, "Last I checked in, you made _her_ upset. And from what you told me, I wouldn't be surprised if she ignored you for a couple days." The young woman sighed, "She has bigger things to worry about, I'm sure. And if this meeting goes awry, so do we."

Arthur, still drawing circles in her hand, which probably not only relaxed her, but it relaxed him as well, "I know. I promise to be a good boyfriend" he said to her as he put his left hand up, since his right was occupied. Just then Kenobi came through the doors and Arthur very carefully, pulled his hand away from Meela's, but also made it look normal. "The council is ready for you young ones" he said, before returning to the room.

"Let's go," Meela said, trying to sound calm. As she and Arthur stepped into the room, at least one pair of eyes was already glued to them. And she was not pleased at all. She had heard the news of Smoke's passing from Patch hours ago, and the outcome of the mission. Seeing her former Padawan standing before her with evidence of his death staining his tunic twisted a knot in her stomach and made her blood boil.

"Masters," Arthur greeted, while bowing, showing his respect to them before continuing, "I do not think we could call this mission a complete success," he started, "Spar was able to escape and we took a lot of casualties in trying to apprehend him," he said, trying not to mention Smoke by name, "Though we did come away with some good news…" he said before trailing off to allow Meela to deliver the good news.

"We were able to retrieve information from one of Spar's Protectors," she said, "Jhia Pac, a bounty hunter, who was not as tied to Spar as one might assume, helped us ambush him and pledged loyalty to the Republic. She gave us intel on his secret bases and tactics, which will set him back for some time and dissolve the current advantage the Separatists have over us with his support."

Arthur then interjected, allowing Meela to deliver all the good news to make her look good in the eyes of the Republic so she can at least get her promotion that he thought she deserved. He hoped to get his as well, but seeing the Council probably viewed him as damaged goods once again because of the loss of Smoke, he wanted to at least get her her promotion, so he continued to speak of bad news, "Though it isn't Spar himself, we should be able to at least keep him in check for a while, since he will have to practically start over in his plans" he said.

Kao raised a brow and cleared her throat, earning everyone's attention. "A victory then," she said, speaking against her own beliefs, "Good job, the both of you. You've completed a mission that most your age couldn't handle, and for that, I believe you are to be commended."

Shaak Ti nodded and turned to gaze at Meela and Arthur, "I agree with Master Kao. You both proved maturity and endurance in your task." Other Masters mumbled their agreement and comments except for Yoda and Windu, who always seem to remain neutral in any discussion.

Arthur shared a look with Meela, "Meela was the most mature of the two of us and I feel I am too emotionally compromised to be given any commendations….of any kind" he added at the end, in case they were both getting promoted to Padawan. He didn't feel it would be a good idea for him to become a Padawan after he felt he was emotionally distraught inside, and that he also tried to kill Spar during the mission after Smoke had died.

"I would disagree with that statement," Oni said, a little firmly, "We've already gathered reports from Master Kenobi, the clones who survived, and even the bounty hunter whom you conspired against Spar with." Kao didn't say her name, as she was in turmoil against allowing Pac back into Clan Shan after she rebelled against her brother's rule. "We offer commendations based upon our own investigations, not by the cover of a book."

Arthur nodded, "Then I shall do what the Council wishes" he said, not making eye contact with his former master. He felt he would just break down if he did so at this moment. Instead he focused mostly on Shaak Ti and Kenobi, while occasionally looking at others, keeping his master in his peripherals.

"This bounty hunter," Windu contemplated, "How were you able to convince her to betray Spar as Meela pointed out?" Arthur cleared his throat before explaining, "She mentioned in a previous conversation that she didn't trust or really like Spar at all to begin with. After infiltrating Spar's compound, I pulled her aside in private and told her everything about myself, but I protected Meela's identity incase she did turn against us, Meela could still complete the mission. She agreed to help and give the Republic all the information she knew about Spar" he explained.

"If her loyalties to Spar were so weak," Kao said, "What should prove to us that she will not betray the Republic so easily?" She stared Arthur down, almost daring him to look her in the eye.

Arthur recognized the tone of voice in his master and made eye contact, trying to match her stare the best he could without falling apart, she reminded him of all the missions they went on when he had Smoke to rely on and help him make it through, "She wanted a do over. I could tell she really meant it. She knew that she had messed up in her past and she wanted a chance to make up for those mistakes and I offered her the first step in doing so" he replied, not wavering from the staring contest he was having with his former master.

"Interesting," Oni commented, "Though we should take caution. She is, afterall, a Mandalorian." Something in Kao's eyes flashed, anger and regret. "And Mandalorians do not mix well with Jedi and the Republic." Turning to Windu, she found that he agreed with her. "We'll have to take measures to confirm the intel she has given us, Master Kao. But for now, we must trust her."

Arthur turned to face Windu, "If you would like Master Windu, I could keep an eye on her every now and then. I already have her trust and respect," he suggested, but he kept his eyes locked on the floor as he mentioned his idea, waiting for it to be dismissed.

"If your future Master allows it, of course," Master Ti said, looking at Oni, who smirked. "The Republic will be keeping her under careful watch," Plo Koon added, "She would welcome a familiar face, I'm sure. If she seems to trust Arthur, we should use that to our advantage." The Kel Dor received approval across the board for his words.

"Future master?" asked Arthur, who was shocked, yet also excited too, turning to face Shaak Ti.

The older Togruta nodded, "You won't be a Youngling forever, Arthur." She once again took a glance at Oni from the corner of her eye. Being good friends with the near Human, Shaak Ti knew exactly of Oni's intentions of being Arthur's Master once again.

"To be honest, I thought I was never going to get promoted again. I really messed up last time and figured I was permanently demoted to Youngling," confessed Arthur.

"The Council would have expelled you if we thought you were drained of such potential," Oni snapped, angry that her former student would still speak of himself like this. "We make our decisions with much thought, Arthur, not humor and negative intent."

"Yes master," Arthur replied to her, "Sorry if this sounds out of turn and rude, but the commendation that you spoke of earlier…." Arthur faded out, not sure if he should have mentioned the praise just then.

"Continue, young one," Oni said with a daring voice. Arthur, though deep down he knew better made eye contact with her, and continued. He felt mad at her, but hid it extremely well, "What are they?" he asked her, not wavering again. His grief for Smoke was becoming harder to bottle up.

"To be discussed amongst the council after this debriefing," his former Master replied, letting her amber gaze burn yellow.

"Yes master," he humbly replied. Obi-Wan then cleared his throat and looked at the two Younglings, "If the Council doesn't have any more questions, then we could discuss your possible reward now" he said, looking at the other members.

"I have one."

Everyone looked to Master Kao, some with fear of what she would ask. It was very unlike Oni to speak when all of the information was laid down in front of her.

"When Spar and the Protectors began firing upon the clones," Oni paused, taking a deep, but silent breath, "You and Meela continued to stick to the deserter's side. How come you did not take the chance to apprehend him with clear and tactical advantage?" This was another thing she had learned from Patch, who never left detail out of his reports to her.

Arthur took in a deep breath before answering, "During the initial attack from the Protectors, they were beat back and Spar realized then that it was a trap and held, Meela, Pac, and I at gunpoint demanding answers. I stepped forward claiming responsibility when Smo….." Arthur trailed off at bringing up his fallen friend, "When Sgt. Smoke and his squad came up and announced the arrest of Spar" he answered.

Plo Koon saw where Oni was heading with this and moved in his seat to gain attention, cutting her off. "The interrogation of Jhia Pac proved that your identities had not yet been revealed completely, thus you needed to maintain them for your own safety," he said, glancing at Kao before giving Arthur an approving nod.

Arthur nodded back, "I did not fire directly at any of the clones, all of my shots went into the air. Even that was hard to do. Just the thought of having to fire at the clones made even firing the shots in the air hard to do, and neither Meela or I could handle the pain and guilt that went with it and stopped. Luckily Pac had surrendered at around the same time we quit firing and Spar was then surrounded," Arthur went on to add. He couldn't believe his master had called him out on that, or actually was the one to ask a question because she never really did after the meetings were almost over.

Windu was just as skeptical as Kao at the moment. "I believe what your former Master implies is that you put the lives of the clones in danger because you did not try and take Spar down yourselves." His eyes narrowed and showed great distrust, which was absent from Oni's. "Being in league with Pac, the three of you could have easily taken down the man, with your training and knowledge of hand to hand combat greater than many of the clones in Sgt. Smoke's squad. Had you taken this course of action, those men may still be alive today."

Oni shifted in her seat and looked aways, her jaw clenching. "And now, Master Kao must find a replacement for the squad's leader, a setback for the 66th Battalion that could affect their efficiency in their next assignment," Windu finished. Even though Koon had tried to rescue Arthur in diverting the topic away, Mace had brought up a good point that rested with everyone in the room.

Meela, who had been quiet for some time, looked down in shame. She agreed with the former Master of the Order. Arthur was about to boil and explode inside. His former master and Master Windu had pretty much just blamed him for Smoke's death. "Master Kao had told me that Jhia wasn't to really be trusted completely because she was more into things for money, rather than loyalty, so even though she did make a deal to give up names and locations, I and Meela still had doubts about her actually helping us, so we moved when we had proper reinforcements in case she did stab us in the back" he defended, trying not to boil over in anger at being blamed for his friend's death.

"More evidence that you both need guidance," Shaak Ti said. "A Master will correct the flaws in your decision making."

"Yes master" Arthur bowed, but did not pick his head back up, because he like Meela saw the flaws in their way of handling the situation and didn't want to look at the council members. Arthur started to think that maybe he was to blame for Smoke's death.

"We may begin the discussion," Oni said nonchalantly, looking towards Kenobi.

**(With Arthur and Meela Outside the Council Chamber Doors)**

Arthur sat on the floor up against the wall. He looked nervous about what was being said about him and Meela on the other side of the Jedi Council Chamber doors. He looked at Meela who seemed calm about the whole situation, and he then focused on trying to calm himself. "Maybe I ruined your chances?" he hesitantly mumbled, not sure about the words leaving his mouth. It was like he was arguing internally with himself if he did or didn't as he spoke the words.

"They would look at my actions and judge their decision based on that," Meela said, "Not your words."

Arthur stood up and made his way over to the bench Meela was sitting on. He did not sit, instead he put his head up against the wall that Meela had her back resting on and he closed his eyes, "They blame me for Smoke's death" he mumbled. After taking a couple seconds pause, "Maybe they're right though?"

"Not everyone blamed you," the Togruta pointed out. She gave out a heavy sigh, though maintained her composure. "Windu sees everything from a "you could have done this better" point of view. Your Master is probably just grieving over the loss of one of her best men." Looking at Arthur, she gestured for him to sit beside her. "He died honorably for the Republic and gave noble sacrifice. It was his decision and there's nothing you could have done to stop him."

"Windu's right though. If I did this better than Smoke might still be here. Master Kao didn't need to send his squad in the first place though. Master Kenobi has a bunch of clones in his army, Smoke never should have been there" he said, trying to defend himself, but blaming his former master as he did so.

"So you would have been okay with Kenobi's men dying in his place?" Meela snapped, shocked by Arthur's words. She glared at him and considered slapping him, but held her anger back.

Arthur jerked his head toward her, meeting her eyes, "How could you think that about me? I don't want clones to die at all! I don't favor clones like that saying "I like Green more, so I hope Patch dies instead" That is far from who I am" he said, keeping his voice calm as he said this.

"You sure made it sound that way," Meela retorted, "Smoke's death meant something. I heard his last words and he died willingly and ready to see his brothers in the next life." She paused, "As Jedi we are supposed to be happy for those that become one with the Force and accept death for what it is."

"I know, I am happy that he has done so," Arthur started, before taking a pause to sigh, "The first words he said though was that I needed to bring Spar to custody, that it was my job now….I didn't do it. Spar is still out there somewhere" he said bitterly.

"It was _our_ job to bring Spar in," Meela corrected him, "We both failed in that department. But, we need to learn to accept and learn from our mistakes, not dwell on them. Whatever your thoughts on failure, cast them out." Standing up, Meela walked over to go stare at the Coruscant traffic and meditate. "They'll only bring you down."

Arthur walked up behind her and lightly put his hands on her waist and his chin rested lightly on the top of her head, "I just feel like I let him down" Arthur confessed.

"We both did." Meela exhaled and grasped Arthur's hands in her own. After a few moments, she removed them, "We should wait until after we hear the Council's decision to comfort each other...just in case." The Togruta gave Arthur a warm smile, pulling away from his touch. Arthur smiled, looking her in the eye, "They are taking their good old time aren't they?"

**Resist: Well that was fun. Another chapter down in this story. At least Arthur's love life is starting to become stable. **

**Meela: "Starting" **

**Echo:...ouch. You in on this too, Mel? **

**Meela: Mhmm**

**Patch: How can you not get in on it? It's so easy to make fun of his love life.**

**Resist: You got that right.**

**Smoke (blue spirit): It was fun while it lasted. **

**Green: Wait, how are you actually dead? I thought we were just actors…**

**Smoke: Wouldn't you like to know**

**Arthur: As we banter back and forth, thank you all for tuning in to this chapter and can't wait to see you all again for the next.**

**Resist: Drop a review and let us know how we did. Just another reminder to check out the stories Nightrider and The Man of Shadow as well. There are more heroes that will get their own stand alone stories as well coming up.**


	24. Emotions Part V

**Echo: Hi, readers! Welcome back to The Journey! **

**Resist: Indeed. Can't wait to get your reactions to this chapter.**

**Arthur: We getting Padawan status? **

**Echo: Well, now that you ask…..*changes script* **

**Resist: Should have kept your mouth shut Arthur. *laughing hard at what Echo puts in the script***

**Arthur: What did she put?**

**Resist: Wouldn't you like to know. Anyway, now that the script has changed *looks at Echo* Would you like to do the announcer voice for this chapter? **

**Echo: I don't know….I wanna see Arthur embarrass himself further…*keeps scribbling on paper and mumbling* **

**Arthur: *nervously laughs* Well here it goes…*coughs* After failing to bring in the well known criminal Spar, our two Younglings faced the Jedi Council to give their reports and were met with a split decision. They now await to be called back into the Council room to hear of their fate…..**

**Resist: Not bad my OC**

**Echo: *smirks and keeps writing, drawing horns on a picture of Arthur* Enjoy the chapter everyone! **

Oni fixed her robes and smoothed them down. The Council had come to a compromise after a good thirty minutes of debate. The Jedi Masters were two split minds on the decision. One side thought that both of the Younglings had shown valor and readiness of becoming Padawans; however, the other side saw their mission as a failure and further proof that they needed to stay in their clan for a while longer. Since the start of the Clone Wars, the Jedi Council members had disagreed on many topics, but none such as this one.

Kao had her mind set and would not change it no matter what argument the others brought up. She led her side of the debate for a majority of the thirty minutes. It was something she was well practiced in the arts of, as she had often fought with Green during their first few months on deployment together. In general the first year of the war shaped her into a different Jedi, especially in the eyes of her former mentor. Oni had previously been one to seek out a more civilized and peaceful course of action and debate, whereas now she was willing to go to lengths to achieve victory in battle and keep her men safe. Fighting alongside Mandalorian clones for almost three years now had brought out her darker and more warrior-like side, something the Council was worried would be passed down to Arthur.

Yoda remained relatively quiet through the whole discussion, keeping whatever opinion he had to himself. His former apprentice had no idea whose side he was on, and did not dare prod him to reveal it. The wise Grand Master was always right in her eyes, and his decision would reign above all others in this case, even if it was against hers. There were things she kept from her Master that she couldn't tell if he could see through. As more of a grandfather to her than anything, Oni found it practically impossible to lie to him. Her guilty eyes could not meet his own in fear of revealing every secret she kept locked up.

"Come back, the Younglings shall," the small Jedi said once the room was quiet. The Temple guards crisply turned to fulfill the order.

Arthur and Meela stood side by side still looking out the window at the Coruscant traffic when the guards came and lightly grabbed their shoulders. Arthur and Meela spun around to see the guards, "The Council is ready for the two of you" one said.

Arthur nodded his head in response and followed the guards inside the Council Chambers, Meela to his right side. The guards stopped at the doors, while Meela and Arthur made their way to the center of the room. Neither spoke, but they both bowed in respect and waited for the Council to start speaking on what they decided.

"After a rather heated debate," Windu said, looking around at the other members, "We have finally arrived to a conclusion." Some members did not look too happy about it, Rancisis and Kit Fisto being of them. Others, like Kao and Koon seemed neutral and withdrawn. "We gathered all the information and results of your mission to conclude whether or not you are ready for apprenticeship." With a glance, Mace handed off the news to Yoda.

"To become Padawans, you are."

Kao looked aways, not wanting to show any emotion that would surely erupt from seeing Arthur's reaction to this. Arthur was shocked among other feelings, but he took a glance at his former master, but couldn't get a good read on her, he wondered what stance she took on the matter. They waited an awful long time to hear such news, "I humbly accept the offer" Arthur simply said, bowing to show his respect to the Council.

When Meela remained silent and dipped her head as well, Windu nodded. "Very well, pack up your things and the guards will escort you to your new quarters. You'll be selected by Masters soon, I'm sure." The former Master of the Order waved them off on their way, signalling that all discussion, debate, and conversing was over.

Arthur and Meela made their exits and went back to their clan quarters where they packed their things. Arthur, not having much things to pack, finished quickly and then went over to Meela and hugged her, resting his head in the crook of her neck. The Togruta embraced him back. "We did it," she whispered, "I never thought I would be able to say that."

"_I _never thought I'd get to be a Padawan again. This time it feels like I earned it though" he whispered back, before planting a kiss on her neck. He didn't want to let her go just yet, and so he pulled her in closer, if that was even possible. "Be careful," Meela said with a smile, "Our former clanmates could walk in on us at any moment."

She pulled away from him slightly just so she could look him in the eyes. "Remember, we're stationed on Coruscant now. There's eyes and ears all around that can and will expose us, especially now that we'll have Masters keeping a close eye on us."

Arthur shook his head, "I don't care as long as I'm with you." he said, wrapping her back in his arms and planted a kiss on her forehead. Meela nuzzled his chest and smiled, "We'll have to figure out the days when we can see each other. Hopefully our Masters will be more open to letting us have days off?"

"We'll it's not like we are going to be galaxies apart that often. Besides we're on Coruscant, not like we are in the thick of the war on the front lines" Arthur said, before placing a long and slow kiss on her lips.

"And I hope it stays that way," Meela said, smiling up at him. "Well, I think it's time to go to our new quarters. We're gonna be in different sections, so that's another thing." Arthur frowned, but it turned into a smirk, "You know what they say about long distance relationships" he said before putting his sack of things on his back.

"What? That they never last?" the Togruta asked flirtatiously, "Like you said, we're both still on Coruscant. Your Master-to-be is stuck on Coruscant and mine might be, too." Arthur looked her in the eyes, and was mesmerized and decided to act on his gut feeling. He locked his lips with hers and didn't care if someone caught them. He didn't pull back either, instead put his arms around her, fearing that this might be the last kiss they shared before their paths split.

A knock on the door broke the momentum of the kiss. The guards were getting impatient and might go in to get them. "Until later," Meela said, pecking Arthur on the lips one more time before grabbing her pack. Arthur smiled and already having his pack on his back, made for the door. The two were then escorted to their new living quarters respectively.

**(Arthur's Quarters)**

Arthur walked into his quarters and the doors immediately shut behind him. He marveled at how big it was compared to just the small bunk space he had in the clan living space. He unpacked his pack and in seconds, he had his picture of his parents on a stand by his bed and his extra clothes hung in the closet. He then sat on the bed and played with the dog tags and ring on his necklace. He figured he would be told what to do next soon, so he sat and waited for his next set of orders.

**(Temple Library) **

"I hope you did not take offense to my opinion," Fisto said quietly in conversation with Kao, one of his oldest friends. They walked side by side, reviewing the result of the Council debriefing. Oni shook her head, "Of course not, I agreed with you mostly."

Kit sighed deeply, "The boy is not yet ready to become a Padawan. He's….impatient, Oni." His friend gave no response to his words. "He's only been disciplined as a Youngling for under a year, hardly comparable to how long Meela has spent preparing to become a Padawan." Kao glanced at the busts of the Lost Twenty, her gaze lingering on that of Count Dooku.

"Are you going to take him under your wing once more?"

"Mace has spoken his mind against it, as did Allie and Kolar," was her reply. Fisto was not satisfied with her answer and turned to her with a raised brow. "And their opinions suddenly outweigh yours?" he asked humorously. Oni gave a small smirk. "Of course not. But I take what my fellows peers have to say into consideration. I was tasked to teach the boy patience and resistance to his connection with the Dark Side, yet I have failed. What would make the Council believe I am worthy of a third shot?"

Kit rested a hand on Oni's shoulder, stopping her. "It was not your fault, Oni," he said in a soothing voice, "Dooku is solely responsible for what happened to Kulani, not you." Kao scoffed, "Your former apprentice sure makes it sound like it. I can't even converse with her without seeing the hate in her eyes."

"She has never healed since 'Lani's death, and I fear she never will." Fisto removed his hand, "A failure of my own to not have corrected the hate in her. Yet, I believe the Council would give me another pupil, even though I have already lost one and seen a faulted one to Knighthood."

Oni took his words seriously and nodded. "I am not so sure myself that I am capable of mentoring the boy. Two Knights more powerful than I have tried and failed as well." Kit shook his head, "Then try harder. Arthur needs a Master that understands his pain and knows him better than anyone. That's you, my old friend."

"Thank you for the encouragement, Kit," Oni said, smiling. "Have you yet chosen your next pupil?"

"There's not too many to choose from now with the war going on," Fisto replied as they continued walking, "I don't know if I should still wait. Yet, it has been almost two years since Aloke was promoted to Knighthood."

"Maybe you should teach Meela," Kao laughed, "You seem to teach Padawans of the same species." Fisto had trained Bant Eerin and Nahdar Vebb, both Mon Calamari, before taking on Aloke Tano, a Togruta, and aiding Kao in the teaching of Tano's sister, Kulani. If he were to take on Meela, it would complete the species pair.

"Very funny," Kit said dryly, "Next I'll be teaching two Wookiees and I'll never hear the end of it from you." Kao chuckled, "Gungi still doesn't have a Master, if I can recall." The woman earned a sharp glare of annoyance from the Nautolan. They continued their walk, speaking of things as if the war wasn't happening and going back to the good old days.

**(With Arthur)**

Arthur walked the hall to the Clone barracks. He was searching for one clone in particular and had asked several where he might be. He then found the clone he was looking for sitting by himself in the mess hall. Not wanting to go in blind, Arthur decided to grab some food and then make his way over to the clone. He didn't say anything at first, just sat down across from the man and shoved some food in his mouth and waited for the clone to speak, and if he didn't before he finished chewing his food, then he would start the conversation.

Arthur finished chewing his food and nothing was said yet so he bit the blaster bolt, He left the necklace with now Smoke's ID tags on it tucked in his shirt, but grabbed it through his shirt for a second or two before speaking, "How's it going old man?" he asked, before grabbing some more food off his plate.

"I'm only 25," Green said, grumbling as he picked at his food, if that's what one could call it. He pointed his fork, flinging slop, at clones sitting at the far end of the table. "They're 26 and dying faster than I am."

"Riiiiiight" said Arthur, shoving some more food in his mouth. He hadn't really eaten since Smoke's death, not really thinking he could hold down his food, but he needed to eat something to keep up appearances. Green gave him a hard glare. "Seriously, I was born without that osik growth serum and had to have it injected monthly in small doses. I'm gonna live a normal life while my brothers only have maybe two decades before they start getting sick and frail from the serum and being fekking clones."

The marshal sounded made about the truth, as if he wished he were dying just as fast as they were. "They're made to be replaced after ten or so years, while I get to sit by happily and watch each generation come and go," Green put the fork on his tray and continued to narrow his eyes at Arthur, "until I become an old man."

"Well you already are one to me" replied Arthur, in a cheery tone. He looked at the clones at the table down a ways and since clones all shared the same face, he was starting to struggle with keeping the pictures of Smoke's lifeless body out of his mind. He could feel his stomach trying to reject the food he was eating, but he took another bite anyway.

"As you might be able to tell," the commander said in a fake chipper voice, "I'm not in a really good mood at the moment. So say what you came here to tell me. And it better be something good, because I'm about to snap and break someone's neck. At any moment. Literally."

Arthur gulped and choked on his bite of food, "I came by to say that I am becoming a Padawan again, but I don't know the master" he said monotoned to Green, "I should be happy, but I'm not. I also am not in a good mood" he finished, taking a drink.

Green raised a brow, "Well, congratulations then, Arthur." He began picking at his food again, "And your former Master? How is she?" His question was dry and lacked enthusiasm. If one might dare to say, it was laced with anger.

"Don't know, I made her upset with me the last mission, and I am angry with her too" he said, "I am trying to mend myself before I really go and talk to her. I don't feel like myself at all, but maybe it's the food" he said, adding the last bit to lighten the mood some.

"Try eating it every day," Green said. "It doesn't take a Jedi to realize that you're not telling me something. I can see it in your eyes, Arthur. Now let me ask you again." The marshal made a fist with his free hand and stared the Jedi down. "How. Is. She?"

"I don't really know, damn it" Arthur said angrily, "And I don't give a fek" he said, anger was now hard to miss, "From what I saw she seems distraught I guess the word might be," he said. Before continuing he took out his necklace and placed it in front of Green, "Like I said, I'm trying to mend myself first" he said, waiting for his reaction to Smoke's ID tags on his necklace.

Green's stern gaze intensified to a boiling point. "Yet you think her the selfish one?" he asked, gritting his teeth. His green eyes blazed with a fire similar to Kao's, whose flames seemed to have burned out more recently. "And you come here to tell me about your good fortune while wearing the tags of my brother who died for you? As if you fought alongside him as long as I have? Oni has made so many sacrifices for you, you know that?"

The clone leaned in closer, the aura in the room growing darker by the moment. "Kao pushed aside her own husband, _me_, for you. She put a wedge in between us to focus training you. You! She spoke up for you how many times to save your shebs from the Council's wrath? Oni even got kidnapped by Dooku to save you from his influence."

The fork had long been dropped from Green's other hand, which was now a fist as well. He kept his voice down as to not attract attention from the other clones. "You are a selfish kid that is only interested in his own destiny and doesn't even stop to think about the consequences or how much his actions are going to hurt the people around him."

"I didn't come down here to get a lecture from you. I didn't come down here to rub in your face that I was promoted to Padawan. I don't even want it. I don't deserve it!" said Arthur raising his voice, "I send clones to their deaths, while I go undercover and for what? I didn't even get the guy, yet clones laid down their lives for me" he said pointing to his necklace, "I don't want this promotion"

"You're right about one thing," Green said, smirking, "You don't deserve it." His frown returned. "Remember when Oni ignored me after our fight? Remember that?"

Arthur looked down, not wanting to look the man in the eyes anymore or argue with him, "I know I don't deserve it, I don't need you to tell me that. I tell myself that everyday when I look at those ID tags on the necklace. I would give this up to bring him back" Arthur said, and meant every word.

"Do. You. Remember?" Green asked again, this time with a dark tone that was threatening. Arthur only nodded, not wanting look at him still. "That jerk-a-saurus comment of hers wasn't the only thing she said," Green mumbled, "She pretty much told me to fek off because I was messing with _her_ Padawan. Do you know how angry she had to have been with me to say _that_? Or how much she actually _cares_ about you to tell her husband to fek off?"

"Then I'll request some other master then. Then I won't come between you two. Besides, I don't want to face her battalion after…." Arthur's voice trailed off, not even able to bring himself to mention what happened on Bespin.

Green sighed, looking down. "It's not in your power," he said more calmly, "It's the Council's decision. And I'm sure Oni will take you back regardless." The clone blinked a few times before looking Arthur in the eye, "I guess I'm jealous because you have a better chance at mending things with her than I do. A lot has happened over the past nine months between the two of us that I don't think will go away."

"I doubt it. She and like half the council blame me for Smo… his passing" he said, making eye contact with the necklace. "I guess there was a huge debate about giving me and Meela our Padawanship after this mission" he said, not able to look away from the necklace.

"I should have been there," Green said with regret, "I almost died on Hoth in the same way Smoke did, so I couldn't." He glanced at the dog tags and pulled out his own from underneath his shirt. "You Jedi always celebrate the dead and accept it willingly. The rest of us have to live with the fact that it's always worse for the people they leave behind." He toyed around with his tags and looked at his own reflection in them. His heart ached at the thought of leaving Oni behind to grieve and mourn.

"Does it look like I accepted this willingly?" asked Arthur looking at the clone commander. "I guess not," Green said smugly, "Yet, what kind of Jedi are you if you dwell on the dead?" He looked up at Arthur, "Oni has told me all about the Order. To them, anger, hate, and emotional attachments lead to the Dark Side." The marshal looked away. "I suppose Oni was wise enough to listen to her own words and cut her bond with me."

"I don't think she is" replied Arthur, though that was all he was going to say about it, cause it was obvious Oni hasn't told him about a certain piece of news, "Also, if you don't remember, I almost died like Smo… he did too" Arthur pointed out, by pointing to his chest, where there was a permanent reminder about what he did.

"I remembered to thank you, didn't I?" Green asked with whatever smile he could force. "Though I'm sure you regret it to some extent." He looked at the silver ring he wore on his left hand. None of the other clones unaware of his engagement questioned it, as many clones wore them to honor fallen brothers. But his symbolized a promise and oath. Normally his glove covered it, as he always took it into battle with him.

"I don't remember. It was a traumatizing experience. The only thing I can remember is being teased about being the 'Holely Jedi' a lot" he said, also forcing a smile to some extent, it was hard not to show somewhat of an actual smile when remembering the teasing that went on after he got out of the medical bay after taking the shot for Green.

Green couldn't help but chuckle at that, "Sorry, I kinda started that whole thing." He gave a deep sigh after that. "You know, she looks at you like she looks at Zuri." Arthur raised a brow at this, "Zuri?" he asked, not sure if he should know the name or not.

Now it was the marshal's turn to look confused. "You don't know who she is? Oni didn't tell you?" Arthur did a slight chuckle at this, "Apparently there is a lot she hasn't told me, or doesn't want to. It frustrates me sometimes" he admitted. Green rolled his eyes, "You and me both."

"Anyways," the commander said, shaking his head, "Zuri is Oni's nine-year-old daughter." He paused for a short moment, the mention of her name jabbing him in the heart every time. "When she was seventeen, the elders of her village married her off to this warrior from another tribe to unite them, but the Jedi Council intervened. They were too late and she had….." Green stopped, closing his eyes and looking pained. "I think Oni should be the one to tell you this. It's not my place. But what I was going to say is that she looks at you with the care and love that she looks at her own daughter with. I've only seen it a few times, as Oni can only see her every now and then due to the war, but I can recognize it anywhere."

"I feel like an arse now" replied Arthur, "Though I may never know what you were going to say cause Oni doesn't tell me anything. I only learned about her Mandalorian heritage on the last mission and it was from Meela and not Oni herself. I called her out on it sort of, about why she never told me and all I wanted was the truth and no more secrets or lies and that didn't go over well."

"She doesn't want to corrupt your mind with temptations that she fell for," Green's brow raised, "Though, for some reason, you keep finding out about them. For that, I envy you. I used to be able to read her like a book, but now….things have changed and I don't want to talk your ear off if you're not willing to hear it."

"I want to hear it from Oni herself" replied Arthur, "No offense. I just want to learn more about her, but not from other people. She always shuts down when a conversation gets to this point" he admitted to him.

"Tell me about it," Green said with an unamused look, "But I was gonna tell you my side of the nine-months before she did. Kinda give you some sort of case before Oni ruins whatever respect you may have for me."

Arthur nodded, "Go for it old man" replied Arthur, taking a bite of food before Green started. "I hate you a little more now," Green said with a fake smile.

Breathing in and out, Green started. "After you were demoted, Oni went silent. The boys and I were getting really worried about her, cause she never spoke about anything except battle. Mind you we were already on Hoth, so that coupled with the stress of battle was wearing down on me. Eventually I brought it up to her and we fought about it. She really did not want to talk about you or anything related to the Council meeting that demoted you. We started drifting apart altogether and hardly spent anytime alone. It was as if we had gone back to when we first knew each other. The Separatists brought everything they had on us and the tension between us grew when we started disagreeing on war tactics..."

"Two months into our deployment, the Separatists pulled back into a stalemate. We had about a week to ourselves in which the men, well, pretty much just Lucas and Patch, forced Oni and I to talk things out. We did and mending things. But that quickly dissolved when Dooku sent one of his assassins onto the battlefield the week after."

Green made eye contact with Arthur, "It was Kulani Tano." Arthur's eyes went wide, "You mean the Padawan she had before me? That is a sore subject, I tried to get her to talk about her"

"Yeah, well imagine seeing your Padawan coming back from the dead?" the marshal asked rhetorically. "That's what set Oni and I off again. She didn't want to amount a front against Kulani because she wanted to bring her back to the Order, not realizing that her former Padawan was gone and was just another one of Dooku's puppets. Again, we fought about it and I took a force out anyways, as per our orders from GAR Intelligence. We almost cornered Tano, but Oni ordered us back to base and threatened court martial if we didn't comply. The next five months went on without seeing Tano on the battlefield. Oni and I went back and forth, things being brought up that I couldn't tell you without getting really personal."

"_That_ kind of personal." Arthur just shook his head, "That could have been really really bad if I was there" he said, while giving a small whistle. "Very bad," the clone agreed. "We were just going downhill. But when heard word that Spar was joining the fight, we ignored our quarrel. Here's my backstory with Spar. Commander John and I were the only surviving _Alpha_-class ARCs of our batch. We were placed in the same training unit as Spar and his batchers. Our training was disrupted when Spar left Kamino and sabotaged his own brothers along the way. I promised them that I would see Spar in a cell. He reminds me of every bad thing that happened to me in my childhood, including what the Kaminoans did to me and John to make us the brutes we are."

"So, when Spar arrived, Oni knew how much it meant to me to capture him. She dropped the whole Kulani thing and we started acting like normal again. Eating together, spending time together. Being husband and wife under disguise of Jedi and clone. We planned how to take out Spar together. Opportunity to do so presented itself and we took it, though Spar outmaneuvered us in an ambush. He almost….he was about to stab Oni, but I jumped in the way and took the blow, him flying off like the coward he is. Ever since I went into the operation room, Oni hasn't reconnected our bond or treated me like anything more than a clone."

"I am sorry" replied Arthur, "I'll keep it in mind when I hopefully talk to her," he offered Green. He then made to grab his necklace to put it back around his neck. "Please do that," he said, looking back to his cold food.

"I will," he answered, getting up from the table, "Off to go be a Padawan again, though I don't want it if this is what it costs" he said, pointing to the now tucked necklace under his shirt. He wasn't sure if Green meant what he said when he didn't deserve the promotion in his eyes, _"Maybe he was right, I mean I did get one of his best soldiers, and my best friend, killed"_ he thought.

"I appreciate it, Arthur," Green said. He felt somewhat bad about being harsh on him, but wasn't anywhere near about to apologize. His opinion of him stuck as did his depressive state over the cut bond. He was a pale shadow of the man he used to be before everything went downhill for him, Oni, and Arthur.

"No prob" Arthur said and started to make his way to the Council Chambers, _"Well that could have gone better" _he thought, but he did need to talk to the man. Since being sent back to being a Youngling, he hadn't really seen any of the clones he used to hang out with in the Tenth Star Corps, now there would be a big void in that spot if he was taken back by Master Kao.

_Arthur, are you free to talk?_ came Oni's voice through the Force. Arthur stopped for a second before realizing Master Kao was trying to speak to him through the force. He found a bench nearby and sat down, _What is it? _He asked, showing no emotion, sure he talked to Green, but that didn't change the fact that Kao and half the Council blamed him for his best friend's death.

_I told you I would tell you everything, didn't I?_ she asked kindly. Oni tried to ignore the anger flowing from her former student, but couldn't help but feel the sting of it. Her Jedi calm told her to remain open minded and accepting of Arthur's emotions, that he is still not yet capable of controlling them.

_You did Master _Arthur sent to her. He pushed his anger aside and then he felt happy that his former master was actually talking to him.

_Alright then, would you meet me in the library? I've been doing some research regarding certain concerns of the Council and would gladly take a break from it. _

_I won't delay then, _Arthur returned to her. He stood up from his bench and started to quickly walk towards the direction of the Temple Library.

**(Jedi Temple Library)**

Upon entering the library, Arthur saw lots of Jedi doing research for many reasons, he assumed. He saw Younglings, Padawans and some Knights and occasional Masters. He walked around looking for Oni and spotted her at a table. He walked up behind her and off to the right some, he was going to announce his presence but figured she already knew he was close by, so he waited for her to acknowledge him.

"How are you?" Kao asked, finishing up her work at a rushed pace. Being stationed on Coruscant, she took up the responsibility of aiding the local police and clone guard in intel. While the war raged on, Coruscant still had to deal with local crime and gangs, which have gained a lot of courage since eyes have been turned elsewhere.

Arthur didn't answer at first, he just shook his head, and paused searching for words to describe how he was feeling inside, "Torn and tired, but I can't sleep cause I dream about…." he couldn't say Smoke's name or anything related to him yet, and it irritated him, "certain recent events" he decided to go with.

Oni nodded in understanding. "I too have fallen victim to the nightmares that follow," she said, logging off the computer, "But dreams pass in time. Scars don't heal fully, but they eventually become memories instead of wounds." The Jedi Master stood up and faced Arthur. "Let's go outside where we can talk without being heard."

Arthur nodded and followed his master out of the temple, where they sat on a bench stationed nearby the temple, "What is it you'd like to talk about?" he asked her. He didn't really want to talk about Smoke, cause it made the weight of his ID tags even more of a burden to carry.

"You have questions about me, I'm sure," Oni said, hinting towards his previous anger towards her for keeping things from him. "Ask me and I'll answer….well, not for _everything_." Arthur sat their in silence for a while, before taking a deep breath, "Who is Zuri?" he asked her hesitantly. He wanted to know the truth about his former master, but didn't want to make her mad.

"So you've gone to see Green then," Oni said with a smile. "Zuri is my daughter. She lives on Talravin with my family and tribe. I had her when I was seventeen and almost got kicked out of the Order because of it. I was handed off to a new Master, Yoda, and called back to the Temple as soon as Zuri was old enough." Turning to Arthur, she said, "I go to see her about once a year now with the war." The Master cleared her throat and looked away. "It's usually on her birthday, though I wish her brother was still alive to celebrate it with her."

"Green thinks that you look at me the same way you look at her," he stated, "I don't know if that's true cause I never saw the way you look at Zuri, but it made me feel like crap inside. I...I...blam...ed... then the coun….council mee...meeting… forget it" he stumbled and hesitated, not sure if he should finish what he was going to say to her.

Oni placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "I know, young one," she said, "I could feel your anger through the Force. And, I understand." Looking away for a moment, Kao gathered her words. "Green speaks the truth. You remind me a lot of Zuri. She's stubborn and persistent, yet compassionate and brave."

Arthur took a deep breath, feeling it actually needed to say what he was stuttering and hesitating about before to lift some of the weight he was carrying, "I blamed you for Smoke's death and then at the Council Meeting, I felt that you and Master Windu, especially, blamed me for his death, and maybe you're right. This weighs on me a lot" he said, taking his necklace off and giving it to his former master to inspect.

Taking the ID tags, Oni barely glanced at them before looking Arthur in the eyes. "And why do you blame me for his death?" she asked calmly. She implied that she was going to listen to what he was saying and given an opportunity to get everything off his chest. "I can tell there are many things you are angry at me for and that need to get out so we can mend things."

"I...I don't know. I felt you didn't need to send him and his crew. I felt that Obi-Wan's clones and the master himself was enough, but the way I tried explaining this to Meela, it came off that I was fine if Obi-Wan's clones died instead of Smoke, but I am not. I'm not that kind of person. It's hard to explain" he sighed, giving up trying to explain where he was coming from.

"Smoke volunteered to go," Oni said, her eyes glued to the ground for a moment. She removed her hand from Arthur's shoulder and stepped back some. "When he heard about the mission, he asked me to assign him to watch your back."

He locked eyes with her, "You should have said no!" he shouted, then realized what he did. His facial expression turned to an apologetic one, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry" he said, not saying the words fast enough.

"Maybe I should have," Oni spoke in almost a whisper, looking at Arthur the whole time. "But to do so would have robbed a brother of an honorable fight and death. As a Mandalorian, I understood why he wanted to go. You are his _vod_, and he yours."

Kao handed the tags back to Arthur. "We all have someone we care for more than anyone else and would do anything to keep them safe."

"Everyone I seem to care for like that ends up dead or on some other planet, far far away" he said, referring to his parents, Smoke, and Mia. The only people he really had left were Meela, and Master Kao.

"Not everyone," Oni said with a smile, "But under that sentiment I also suffer your pain. It seems as though the ones I care for end up injured or oppressed. My homeworld fell to a warring states period and hasn't recovered since. Green…."

"Green is your one person you'd do anything for right? He needs you more now than ever. You were the first thing he asked me about" said Arthur. Attempting to reconnect the two somehow. Oni's eyes flashed wide, "He did?" She suddenly felt guilty and angry at the same time.

"Yeah, he wants to spend time with you. He yelled at me when I mentioned about my anger towards you for Smoke''s death" Arthur said, "He misses spending time with you" he finished, leaving out the part about how Green felt that Arthur himself was also a wedge that kept he and Oni apart.

"And I miss him," Kao said sullenly, "But you know why I can't be near him. It's too dangerous." Looking down at the ground in front of her, Oni shook her head. "He probably thinks I hate him, but it's far from the truth. I wish I could tell him that. I've cut off our Force bond as well."

"I know, Green told me" Arthur responded moving closer to her, wanting to comfort her but not sure how, "I know my problems don't measure up to yours, but do you think Meela and I's relationship will end up like Mia's? I don't want it too, but with us becoming Padawans, we could be galaxies apart now. I...I… looo" Arthur tried to say the word but couldn't his mind was racing with possibilities of how he and Meela would grow apart and all the number of ways their relationship could end.

"You both will be here at the Temple," Oni said with a smile, "I have a couple of Masters in mind that rarely leave Coruscant that are in need of students." Arthur couldn't stop himself, he moved closer and hugged his former master, "Thank you, she means a lot to me"

Oni was surprised at first. She rarely received a hug from anyone, let alone her former Padawan. But a smile crept on her face and she embraced Arthur. "I'll make sure you two are not far from each other," she promised.

Arthur pulled away, "Master, is it wrong to think about taking our relationship to the next level? I mean, I want to show her I'm serious about 'us'. I know we are young and have time to dwell on this later, but I want to show her now that I'm committed to this" he admitted, slightly whispering in case anyone walked by as he talked.

"You mean the "l" word?" Kao asked, laced with humor to lighten the mood. Arthur shook his head, "I mean beyond that," he mumbled, he wasn't sure if he should bring this up, let alone with his Master, he felt embarrassed about it. Oni knew he was getting embarrassed and smiled. "Asking her to go steady?"

Arthur let out a grumble, "I think so?" he said in an asking type tone, "I'm not good with trying to say what I mean when it comes to this type of stuff" he said rubbing the back of his head, a sign that his Master easily picked up on. It was what he usually did when he was getting embarrassed and nervous about a certain situation.

"No offense," Oni started, "But why didn't you ask Green about this when you spoke with him? I'm in the same boat with you about not knowing what the fek I'm doing in a relationship." The woman chuckled, "Seriously, Green did everything first. Apparently clones are well versed in the ways of love."

"Well he didn't seem in the mood to talk about this" said Arthur, who took a deep breath before continuing, "I know she is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with, and the one I want to have a family with, but I don't know if I should bring this up to her because we are still young and…" Arthur trailed off, losing his train of thought.

"Young," Oni said dryly with a straight face. "How old are you again?" Arthur stuttered his answer, E-E-Eighteen" he finally got out. "Young," Oni restated, "And….oh yeah…._young_." She gave a half smile, "Just wait a little bit. I know you two have been together for awhile, but let things settle with becoming Padawans, figure something out, and then go from there. I think you'll both have a harder time going steady as Padawans then as Knights. Trust me, the only reason I am able to get away with being married to Green is because I am a Master with no eyes watching my every move." She paused. "I'm not sure Meela's Master will be as open with a relationship as I am."

"I know I wasn't your Padawan long Master, but why did you keep a lot of secrets from me? I think I at least was your student long enough to learn some things about you, and not be kept in the dark. I know you were trying to keep me safe, but I don't want that. I want to be treated equally, and as a friend. Not like I am a liability and a student to keep at arm's length when a conversation or situation becomes personal," he admitted, getting everything off his chest. He hoped his former Master would see it his way and not explode on him like last time.

"I understand you completely, Arthur," Oni said with a smooth voice, trying to console him. "I have, in the past, been angry for being kept in the dark as well. But, if you wish to have an open-minded friendship, then so be it." She turned to him, "Anything in particular you would like to know?"

"Not really Master. It was just the times when it looked like you would open up to me, you would shut yourself back down and hide your feelings,away. It frustrated me so much that I had Master Secura teach me how to hide and lock away my feelings so that they weren't as easy for you to read when we would meet in the hallway" he admitted.

Oni smirked somewhat, "Well, obviously Secura isn't the right Master for you, then." She chuckled and looked aside. "People always label me as the goodie-two-shoes, by-the-book with no exceptions Jedi and nothing more than a loyal peacelover and pacifist."

"I put on that persona because it's what makes the Council and the rest of the Order look good. If word leaked out of who I really was, the Senate and the Republic as a whole would question my place on the Council and the wisdom of the Jedi. So, in order to keep this act up, I must keep secrets and not let my past or true self influence those around me."

"I understand Master" came Arthur's reply, not sure of what else to say, "I am sorry for how I exploded during the Spar mission when we talked" he apologized to her.

"There's no need to apologize, young one," said Kao, "Yet, I appreciate it. As you know, I'm not the most positive person at the moment and can't holster my emotions as well, if at all." Arthur stood up from the bench and bowed to his former teacher, "This was what I needed, thank you Master, but I must find Meela and report to the Council for their decision" he said as formal as he could.

"May the Force be with you, Arthur," Oni said, surprising him when she reached out to embrace him. Arthur returned the embrace back, "And also with you Master Kao" he replied back to her. Oni pulled away from him and nodded in respect. Giving one last smile, she parted from her former Padawan.

Arthur made his way back inside and started to look for Meela. He made his way through the Temple before he reached her quarters and stood outside them. He knocked and waited for a reply from her. After a minute, Meela appeared at the door, looking rather exhausted. "Hey," she greeted, managing a smile, "Didn't know you were coming."

Arthur stayed outside the door, not wanting to walk in and be rude, "Figured we should go the Council together. You ok?" he asked, noticing how tiring she looked. Her eyes widened and all tiredness disappeared. "That's today?!" Meela looked around. "I didn't think we'd get Masters so soon."

"We are the popular ones I guess. Whether that is good or bad, I don't know yet" he said, flashing a smile.

"Give me five minutes," Meela said, shutting the door quickly. Arthur couldn't help but look her up and down before she left. He couldn't help but be mesmerised by her beautiful looks. He found a nearby bench and sat down and waited for her to reappear.

Moments later, the Togruta appeared in a fresh tunic, her lightsaber at her side. "I'm ready, let's go," she said, enthusiasm clear in her voice. She had a good premonition of who was going to teach Arthur, but she had no idea who her Master was going to be. Arthur gave her a smile before taking a spot by her side and the two then proceeded through the halls on their way to the Council Chambers.

The walk went quicker than usual, both Younglings wanting to get this out of the way so they could start their paths as Padawans. They stood outside the Council doors. "You nervous?" asked Arthur. Meela didn't say anything, just nodding frantically. "I've imagined this moment for the past oh….forever." She tapped her foot and tried to calm herself down through breathing exercises.

Arthur lightly grabbed her chin and made her look up at him and gave her a kiss, "You'll be fine. It is I who should be nervous. Master Windu and others didn't look really pleased I was even selected to go on those missions with you in the first place" he said

"Yet, you're still becoming a Padawan," Meela said, "You at least know your Master, I don't." Arthur, remembering his earlier conversation with Master Kao, spoke back to her, "You'll be fine" he told her, before starting to step towards the doors and enter.

The Council had been waiting for the Padawans to arrive. Only a few were missing from the group, including Yoda, Master Kao, and Kenobi. Meela held back a frown at this, wondering where the crucial Council members had gone. Arthur also looked a little worried, not seeing Master Kao. However, he and Meela bowed and stepped into the center of the room so the Council could start.

"We are here to inform the two of you which master you will be serving as a Padawan," replied Master Windu, who now needed to lead the meeting with Master Kao and Yoda not present.

Meela lowered her head, waiting for the news. Who would it be? Many of the Jedi Masters she knew either died during the war, had a Padawan of their own, or were otherwise occupied with more pressing concerns.

"Arthur, please step forward" ordered Master Windu. Arthur put his head down and stepped forward, "Though some were against this, you have risen back to the ranking of Padawan and Master Kao has again offered to be your teacher" he said to the boy.

"Thank you Master Windu and other Council members" he said, bowing and backing down again. "Meela" spoke Windu, wanting her to do the same as Arthur. The Togruta stepped forward cautiously, trying to mask her nerves. She looked up and straight out in military fashion, showing respect.

"You have shown incredible growth during your time as a Youngling, and it only seems right to give you this reward of being made a Padawan. Master Fisto has agreed to take you in under his wing" he spoke to her.

The Nautolan stood from his chair and stepped towards Meela, resting a hand on her shoulder. The now Padawan bowed to her Master humbly, receiving the gesture back.

Arthur looked a little lost, he glanced around the room again looking for his master, but didn't see her and wondered where she had gone off to. He had just talked to her moments ago and now she missed the Jedi Council meeting she was suppose to conduct herself.

Fisto returned to his seat and looked to Windu to continue with the meeting. He was glad that he had taken Master Kao's advice to train the young Togruta, who reminded him dearly of his former Padawan and charge. His station on Coruscant as the Chancellor's advisor gave him the proper time to train Meela without the distractions of war. However, he wished that Oni had been there to greet her reinstated Padawan. He too wondered why the three members were missing.

Windu cleared his throat before beginning again, "Arthur, Master Kao wanted me to apologize for her since she couldn't make it and for you to meet her in the library once this meeting is over, which it is now. All are dismissed" he said, standing up from his chair.

Arthur and Meela both bowed, as did all the masters. Meela stayed with Fisto, while Arthur made his way to the library. Once he entered the room, he scanned to look for her, but didn't see her so he plopped down on an empty table and read from his datapad.

Kao finally appeared, with Kenobi by her side as they conversed. She spotted her Padawan and turned to Obi-Wan. "Until we speak of this again," the man said, taking his leave politely. The Jedi Councilmen honored one another and parted. Taking a few deep breaths, Oni strode quietly and calmly towards Arthur.

"Ahem."

Arthur recognized the voice and practically had a heart attack. He quickly pushed his chair out and went to stand at attention for his master, but practically fell over the chair he was once sitting in, "Master" he breathed, bowing in respect.

"I didn't mean to startle you," Kao said somewhat apologetically. "I hope Master Windu passed on my regards?" She gave Arthur a warm smile, "Master Yoda wanted to speak with Obi-Wan and I about the future of the Order considering what the war has made us to do."

"He did," Arthur replied, "What did you talk about?" he asked politely to her, wanting to know what kept her away from his promotion back to Padawan. He assumed it was very important if Yoda was involved, but understood if she couldn't tell him.

"There has been a lot of controversy in the Republic regarding the use of clone troopers," Oni said, a sad look coming across her face, "And the Jedi's ability to lead them without biased intentions. The Senate might look into a repeal of our authority and give more powers to the Chancellor." The Jedi Master looked confused about the whole matter, "We're concerned for the Jedi's future under the heel of Palpatine, Arthur."

Arthur looked puzzled, he never got into politics, but had a feeling he would learn about it soon enough since he was now stationed here rather than out on the front lines, "Politics lately have seemed to favor the Senate and give the Chancellor more power and authority from what I could comprehend of it" he said. He saw the raised eyebrow from Oni and continued, "What? There isn't much to do after your demoted to Youngling, so I read a lot" he defended.

"I'm impressed," Kao smiled, "And I agree with you. The Council as a whole has been discussing the Chancellor's standing with the Senate for some time. He should have been put up for re-election long ago, but the powers he received from the war continue to delay that. It's...concerning to say the least."

Arthur was surprised he managed to impress his master already, "Things do look dark for the Order, but there is always hope I guess" he said to her. He shut his datapad off and awaited for his master's set of instructions he was sure to receive.

"Indeed," Oni fixed her robes that she wore loosely now as she had long ago ditched her Jedi Armor in favor of her old custom clone trooper armor, which she always found more comfortable. "Though I do have one piece of news. Master Yoda has insisted I take a vacation for a few months." She paused. "I was wondering if you would go with me. I know Meela is here with you on Coruscant, but I can't bring anyone else with me and some company would do me well."

Arthur thought, but only for a few seconds, "I would gladly accompany you on this vacation of yours my Master," he bowed, "May I go see Meela before we leave?" he asked politely, "I would like to inform her that I will be gone for a few months on leave with you" he said respectfully to her.

"You can now, but you need not worry about it for some time," Oni said with a smile, "We'll be leaving in a couple weeks. I trust you have other plans as well that you will need to put on hold until our return?" She alluded to his agreement with Pac and her knowledge of it. Being somewhat loyal to her Mandalorian heritage, Kao approved of her Padawan's interest in the culture. It would give them something to bond over and could apply to his teaching. The life of a Mando was disciplined, at least in her clan's version of it, which Pac knew well enough to pass down to Arthur.

"Yes Master, I do" he simply said, no use in denying his other plans with Pac. She obviously already knew about them.

"We'll be going to my home planet," Oni said with a smile. "You'll love it there. Lot's of fighting and warrior culture." She sent a sarcastic smirk towards her pupil. Arthur simply chuckled before replying, "Sounds fun" he said, "I shall go and inform Pac and Meela about the trip" he said, bowing to her.

"I'll be informing others as well," Kao said, a saddened look coming upon her face as she dipped her head towards Arthur. She hadn't spoken to Green in a while, but he needed to know of her absence considering he would be released from the hospital long before she would come back from her vacation. The Jedi Master was anxious about finally facing her husband and hoped she had the strength to do so.

Arthur also dipped his head in respect before leaving to inform Pac and Meela about the trip. Since he had time and had a lesson with Pac shortly, he decided to go their first. Arthur made his way out of the temple and quickly made his way to Pac's new place of residence on Coruscant and hoped he wasn't late.

**Small Time Skip**

Arthur ran trying to make it to his lesson with Pac on time. He finally reached her door and was about to knock when the door opened. "As a Mandalorian, you'll learn stealth," the woman said teasingly. She stepped back to allow him into her apartment, of which was currently being provided for and monitored by the Jedi Council.

Arthur entered and waited for his teacher to begin. Jhia had only taught him the basics so far because Arthur still had to learn about the Mandalorian culture, and Arthur was afraid that since he was a Jedi, that learning and embracing the Mandalorian culture could cause conflict.

"Let's go over what you know so far about the Mandalorian culture," Jhia gestured for Arthur to sit down, "Tell me."

"I don't do well on tests" he said as he sat down, trying to run through and remember everything she had taught him so far. "This isn't a test," Jhia said, pausing, "Yet." Arthur let a deep sigh escape his mouth and calmed down, "Ok well…. Mandalorian Clans are the backbone to their culture. However even more of a backbone, is the honor and loyalty of each individual in the clan itself" Arthur stated, trying his best to remember what they have gone over.

"Good," the Mando praised, "That's very good. Now, another big part of becoming a Mandalorian is commitment. If it came down to it, and you had to either strike down a fellow Jedi or shoot a Clan member, who would you execute? Your Master has to constantly live with that decision and pestering thought in the back of her mind." She observed Arthur's reaction. "If her Clan went to war against the Republic, she would have to either fight her family and be banished from Clan Shan, or kill the family she has made here."

Arthur was in deep thought, and it didn't take a Jedi Master to see or feel this. If Pac could, she probably would be able to see the smoke coming out of his ears. He pondered this question thinking deeply on what he would do, "Depends on who the Jedi is and who the Clan member is" he said, "I mean, a Mandalorian wouldn't be executed unless there was good reason to right?" he asked, still weighing his options.

"Like leaving the Clan and/or being a Jedi?" Pac suggested seriously, "It's a double-edged sword, Arthur. Your Master could help you comprehend this further, but...you can't be both a Jedi and a Mandalorian without serious conflicts, including the scenario I just placed before you. The fact that you had to think about it is evident enough."

Arthur immediately frowned, "So I failed if this was a test?" he asked seriously. He didn't want to disappoint her. He had disappointed Kao enough when he first became her Padawan and he didn't want to fail Pac also. He was lucky to get another chance with Kao, but he doubted another chance would come along to train with Pac.

"It wasn't a test," Jhia said with a slight chuckle. "I just wanted to see your reaction. There's no one clear answer or really a right answer for that matter. The decision is up to you and you alone." Pac huffed, "Wow, listen to me sounding like a Jedi."

Arthur allowed a smirk to show on his face, "Yes Master Pac, you do sound like a Jedi. Is that against Mandalorian Code or anything like that?" Arthur asked with a small chuckle.

"Calling me Master?" Jhia raised a brow, "No, but it's against my code and could get you thrown over the balcony. Capiche?" Arthur's smirk quickly disappeared, "Yes M- err Jhia" he said, "So what's on the list for today for me to learn?" he asked, changing the subject slightly. "We'll go over the basics of the code and start talking about culture. If I just taught you how to fight like a Mando, you wouldn't really be one, now would you?"

Arthur shook his head, "No, I wouldn't be" he said sternly. He wanted to learn and become a Mandalorian, basically because Pac had inspired him to learn other cultures and to embrace them. He didn't want to be as close minded as the Jedi, which he thought was one of their major problems among many in his eyes.

"Okay, then let's get started," Pac said, "The fundamental part of the Mandalorian culture is the clan…" She continued on about the lifestyle of a Mandalorian within a clan, his or her duties and responsibilities towards their clanmates, and why the ideal of family is so important.

Arthur listened intently and hung on to every word, trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible. He waited till she finished explaining and committed as much as he could to memory, "Ok so I think I got it…" he said before reciting what she had just taught him.

"Good, a little washy here and there but good," Jhia said with a positive tone, "We'll get into fighting techniques in another lesson, but for now I would like you to delve into the Mandalorian culture. Your temple library should do the trick."

"I would imagine so, I can read up on Mandalorian culture that way I can understand and commit it to memory. Thanks for agreeing to teach me about Mandalorian culture. I know it is frowned upon for me to learn this culture because it is polar opposite of the Jedi way" he thanked her.

"I'm honored to teach you," Pac said humbly. "Your Master could be a good source of information. After all, she was raised on the same principles I was." Arthur nodded to Pac and made a mental note to ask Master Kao for her assistance, "Is there anything else you'd like to teach me today?" he asked her, "Maybe just the basics of fighting?" he asked with hope.

"I'll start, but the rest of the lesson will have to carry over until next time," Pac said, "Sounds good?" Arthur eagerly nodded his head, excited to learn the famous Mandalorian fighting techniques. "Alright." Jhia stood about a yard away from Arthur, standing at an angle in which the right half of her body pointed towards the Padawan. "Clan Shan uses this as their starting stance, much like how you Jedi have your positions and techniques."

Arthur stood up and tried his best to mimic her stance, he gave her a look that asked if he was doing right, as he continued to try and get his stance correct.

"Good angle," Pac stated, "Now make sure to stand tall and confident. Looks can go a long way to intimidate and manipulate your enemy. They'll judge how to come at you based on your stance. Depending on your opponent, they may take less risky moves if you look the part." Arthur nodded his head and did as he was told, standing tall and confident and putting his fists up, ready for what she wanted him to do.

"Now what are you stronger in defending yourself with," Jhia raised a brow, "Hands or feet?" Arthur thought for a second before responding, "Hands" he answered, "Without a doubt" he added. "Nice, then you want to put your hands down. If they're up, your enemy will most likely think you are going with using your hands. Like I said, the beginning stance is crucial in manipulation."

"Where should I place them then?" he asked, frowning. He now looked lost on where to place them. He usually put his hands up in front of his face and chest area when fighting hand to hand. "At your sides," Jhia answered, "Bend your knees slightly and wait for them to attack first."

Arthur nodded and put his hands at his sides and bent his knees slightly and waited for his next set of instructions, "Good?" he asked her, looking for approval before continuing to the next part.

"Perfect," Pac praised, holding her hands up, "What does my stance tell you about me?" Arthur stared intently and tried to come up with a knowledgeable answer, "That you're daring me to strike first?" he asked halfheartedly. He tried to come up with a sophisticated response but failed to think of one, so he said what came to mind first.

"Close," the Mando said flatly, "I'm going to attack with my hands." Arthur watched her hands intently waiting for a move or demonstration that she was going to attack him and prepared to block if he needed to, since he wasn't sure if she was or not anyway. Suddenly, Pac ran at him and quickly spun, ducking his punch, and kicking him down to the floor.

"Ow, What the..?" he mumbled, as he shook his head, getting his vision back, "That went great" he sarcastically mumbled.

"I caught you off guard because you thought I was using my hands," Jhia smirked and offered a hand to help Arthur get up. Arthur grabbed onto her wrist and she pulled him up, as he rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, I think you got me" he chuckled.

"Hands up, I'm going to use my feet," Jhia said, "Though not every Mando will think that way, just those from Clan Shan." Arthur nodded and got back up, determined to show her that he had potential and wasn't a waste of time, after his terrible first showing.

"Your turn," Pac gestured for Arthur to take his stance, "Try to not get kicked down onto the ground again." Arthur took his stance and shook his head, trying to clear his vision, "Ok" he said, getting into proper posItion. Jhia rushed toward him again, and this time used her foot as her fist attack, that Arthur dodged easily, only cause he knew it was coming. She then switched and used her hands. Arthur was able to block her first strike, and counter, but his attack was also easily blocked by Jhia, who's next attack hit home and Arthur was laying on the ground, looking up at her again, "Well this looks familiar" he quirked.

"Far too familiar," Pac said sarcastically, "C'mon, get up. You look like Beskar after your bar fight with him." Arthur rolled and pushed himself back up, "Well he had it coming, taking my mom's ring. Besides, I liked that fight, mostly cause I won" he added with a smirk, "That and I don't remember half of it cause I got slightly concussed" he said with a small chuckle.

"Slightly?" Jhia asked with a chuckle, "If you weren't a Jedi you would have gotten your butt whooped." Arthur smirked, "Wouldn't have mattered, I'd still would have kicked his arse. Nobody messes with my parents, that's just not….acceptable" he said, searching for the correct word to use.

Pac stared Arthur down with a blank look. "Okay, let me rephrase that: If you weren't a Jedi and he wasn't DRUNK, he would have beat you. I'm training you so that osik doesn't happen. Got it?" Arthur nodded, he felt scared in that moment, probably cause of the blank look he got from his teacher, but either way he lost his coolness on the spot right then and there, and just continued to nod his head speechless.

"That's when your enemy will take advantage of you," Pac pointed to his slumped posture, "Fix it." Arthur just nodded again, and stood up straight and put on a confident look, though being put on his back twice now, wasn't really helping his confidence at all really.

Quickly, Jhia came at Arthur with her fists up, squatting down to kick him from below. Arthur with a little help from the force, was able to block her low attack and he tackled her to the ground and quickly tried to get in a few punches. The Mandalorian was able to ram her knee into Arthur's side and get him to roll off to her side. From there, she back-springed into a standing position above the Jedi Padawan. "Impressive," praised Jhia.

Arthur shook his head, still on the ground, "I still lost and I used the Force, which I think might be considered cheating" he smiled, as he breathed heavily. Pac shrugged, "I'm sure there have been Force sensitive bounty hunters before. Your Master, while not really being a bounty hunter, has used her capabilities to defend her Mando honor. However, I wouldn't knock your opponent unconscious with your black magic, voodoo stuff; that would be cheating and unhonorable."

Arthur made to get up, but he had to drop back down, still tired and exhausted from the training, "I wouldn't ever do that. I would like to have a chance at becoming a Mandalorian and not throw away my honor before even becoming one" he said, gripping his side where Jhia had hit.

"Good," Jhia said, slightly panting from the fight. She hadn't been keeping up with her combat skills as of late. "Alright, I'll teach you more in our next lesson. I might mix in ways you can use your powers honorably, but I bet that's something more suited for Oni to teach you." Offering a hand to Arthur, she pulled him up and patted him on the shoulder. "Nice job, kid. You'll go far."

Arthur smiled, "Thanks teach" he said, "Maybe I actually won't end up on the floor next time" he said sarcastically, knowing the floor and himself would probably get even better acquainted.

"Ha-ha," Pac pretended to laugh, "Don't get carried away. That'll be awhile from now." Before she made to turn around, she narrowed her gaze at Arthur and pointed a finger in his direction, "And know that I am immune to Jedi mind tricks, as most of us Mandalorians are."

"I'll remember that. Speaking of Jedi, I have someone I need to go see" he said before giving her a respectful nod and making his way back toward the Jedi Temple to find Meela.

"Your girlfriend?" Pac was not afraid to say out loud and rather loud as she led Arthur out of her apartment. "Bad Jedi, breaking the rules." Arthur gave her a look, "I never liked their rules to begin with anyway" he said, "Too many to keep track of" he spoke to her. Jhia chuckled. "Something your Master shares with you," she said, "She's not the by-the-book Jedi they all make her out to be. Especially with being married to a clone and already having children." Shaking her head quickly, Jhia gestured for Arthur's leave. "I don't want to keep you from your woman, so go. Be here in a week for your next lesson."

Arthur nodded and made his way toward the Jedi Temple. He navigated the halls rather quickly, but not quick enough to get the attention of other Jedi also roaming the temple. He finally made it to Meela's quarters and knocked three times.

Meela appeared after a few moments, tired from her first training exercise with Master Fisto. He may seem like a gentle teacher on the outside, but he was strict. Arthur couldn't get over how she made him feel every time he saw her. "Busy?" he asked her, still panting slightly from his training with Pac.

The Togruta groaned in frustration and rolled her eyes. "Oh, like you wouldn't believe." She folded her arms and leaned against the doorframe. "Kit is just like that one mentor nobody wanted for katas. He's really strict in a calm and subtle way. I know it sounds weird, but it's true. It's like those gym teachers you can read about in the library."

"Well I just got back from my teacher who is strict, but isn't calm or subtle about it. I got put on my back like three times at least today. I lost count on the grand total. Master Kao is tough on me, and so is Pac when I get training from her. But um, I was hoping th-that you weren't busy and I-I could, err we could…" Arthur stumbled, losing his train of thought and now just started to stutter over every word, not able to get any of them out.

"Could what?" Meela did not get the hint, as her mind was so fuzzy with rampant thoughts and stress. She yawned and gestured for Arthur to come in, as standing in the doorway was tiresome. Fixing her new Padawan braid attached to her headpiece, Meela sat down on her bed and started playing with her lekku subconsciously.

Arthur heard the doors slide shut and he stood in Meela's quarters not sure what to do, so he started to scratch the back of his head, a bad habit he had when he was nervous or unsure of what to do. He opened his mouth to talk but no words came out.

Meela was staring off, thinking about random things. She dwelled more so on the topic of being a Padawan and all of its responsibilities and commitments. In her thoughts, she failed to notice Arthur struggling. "When are you going to go see Pac again?" she asked.

Arthur was so taken back by the question that he mumbled and stuttered at first, "Well, um you see….," he started out with, still scratching the back of his head, "A week" he said really quickly finally able to answer her question.

"Huh," Meela mumbled automatically, "It must have gone well then if she wanted to continue training you." The Togruta still didn't know how she felt about Pac or the Mandalorian culture in general. To her, it was all about the battle and bloodshed: unnecessary. Arthur stuttered some more before speaking, "How goes training with Fisto?" he asked, before mentally slapping himself, realizing he was so love struck by her that he had forgotten that they already covered this.

"Good," Meela said, nodding. She seemed to snap out of her trance and looked at Arthur. "Wait, didn't I tell you that already?" Arthur fumbled for words, "Well, I um… The thing is…" was all he was getting out and he started to turn a light shade of red, which didn't help him at all.

Meela raised a brow and stopped playing with her head tails. "What is it?" She had seen him nervous and at a loss for words before...but this was different. "Are you okay Arthur?" Arthur nodded, "Yeah, I just can't speak is all" he said, scratching the back of his head again, "How 'bout you?" he asked quickly.

"Come sit down," the young woman said, still suspicious of his behavior. "I'm sure your tongue will come back to you," she teased, scooting over to make space for Arthur. Arthur made his way over to the bed and sat down next to Meela. He felt a little more comfortable and looked at the girl, no woman, of his dreams. He was content in saying nothing at the moment and just waited to see what Meela had to say.

"I never thought being a Padawan would be this hard," she said. "I'm excited, but with the schedule Fisto described to me...it's going to be tiring." Arthur just smiled at her, "If anyone can handle this, it's you" he said, and he started to slowly lean in closer to her subconsciously.

Meela put her hand over Arthur's and looked into his eyes. "Thanks," she said genuinely and then removed her hand, returning to her inconsistent thoughts. Arthur put a hand on the side of her face and turned her so they were now staring into each other's eyes, Arthur let out a sigh of content, "Did I ever tell you how it's cute when you think really hard?" he said with a smile.

The Togruta smirked a bit, "Oh, shut up." She began to blush, her montrals turning a deeper hue. Arthur just smirked and before she could react, he pulled her closer to him, while he slowly leaned in as well, but allowed her a chance to back away.

Meela just smiled and leaned in as well. After a long hard day for the both of them, this would be a welcomed relief. Arthur was excited and nervous as he brought his lips to hers and placed is other hand on her waist. He loved how he felt when she was next to him and he tried to convey that in his kiss. Meela scooted closer to Arthur and placed a hand in the crook of his neck, pulling him towards her. Arthur didn't put up any struggle and allowed her to pull him closer towards her. He continued to passionately kiss her, but decided to move his attention elsewhere. He kissed her head tails, before going down her jawline.

Meela ran her fingers through Arthur's hair, closing her eyes. "It feels good to be able to unwind without worrying about our clanmates walking in any moment," she managed to say. Arthur just grunted in agreement as he trailed his kisses back up her neck. Guiding him back to her face, Meela pecked him on the lips before pulling away and looking him in the eyes. "Arthur."

Arthur had a look of disappointment when she pulled away, but it quickly vanished, "Yeah" he quietly said, trying to regain his composure. "What's on your mind?" she asked, "You seem pretty stressed today." Arthur just shook his head, "You're on my mind right now" he said, trying to flatter her. Meela smirked back and blushed. Kissing him gently, she got up and stuck her tongue out at him. "Liar."

Walking over to her closet, the Togruta began looking through her few articles of clothing. "Come on," she beckoned Arthur with a finger, "We're going out."

**Oni: Alright, you lovebirds, show time is over. **

**Resist: Arthur and Meela sittin' in a tree….**

**Arthur: *tapes Resist's mouth* Really? **

**Echo: *gets out Arthur's acting contract* You were saying?**

**Resist: *tries to talk but comes out as grumbles and moans, till Green rips off the tape* Ahhh! Anyway, you can put the contract away, we're almost or Order 6….. Nevermind can't say it. **

**Echo: SHHHHH! We can't let their feeble hearts know what is to come! **

**Resist: Right. Everyone out! *starts to hurd everyone to the door***

**Oni: But my double caramel frappacino is still in there! **

**Echo: *kicks Oni out the door* It's mine now! **

**Resist: Add that to the disclaimer. We now own Oni's frap. Don't forget to drop us reviews. They are greatly appreciated. **

**Echo: *takes sip* Oh, uh, yeah! What he said! Come back for next time, folks :) **


	25. The Escape? Part I

**Chapter 25**

**Arthur: Yeah! Another chapter!**

**Resist: Before the disclaimer, We have another notice for you readers. By reading this chapter in one sitting, your eyes may explode and roll back into your head. If that doesn't happen they will at least go cross eyed in so many different directions you'll won't know where you are or remember simple information like what your name is. **

**Echo: *snaps fingers back into place* I don't want to hear any complaints. **

**Resist: *also snapping fingers* Echo and I don't own Star Wars that belongs to Disney. We do own our OCs though. **

**Arthur: Ugh my eyes! *continuously rubs them***

**Resist: Told you**

**Green: Wait, how do you guys 'own' us? Aren't we just actors? **

**Resist: You think your actors? You don't remember Smoke's blue spirit? You don't see him around anymore after he was killed do you? **

**Green: Oh. My. God. **

**Echo: *smirks* So the next time you ask for anything or pounce on Resist *gives Arthur a dirty look* We can change the "script" any time. **

**Resist: Well ladies and gents, please enjoy this mega chapter. You will understand why as you read towards the end why it had to be huge. We just didn't want to split this chapter up.**

The armored clone walked through the halls, trying his best to ignore the discomfort in his side. His wounds were just about done healing, but still required a bandage, which made his armor snug. Green maintained a straight and calm posture, gliding across the floor in military fashion. He was excited to be out of that kriffing medical center after what seemed like years. His first stop? Mend things with his wife.

Arthur walked the halls of the temple after returning from his dinner date with Meela. He had a great time just being with her and sort of accidently slept in and was now on his way to train with Pac and hopefully not be late, when he spotted someone familiar, "Green!" he shouted, waving a hand.

The ARC stopped and turned around crisply, not sure if he really heard anything. His mind was so scrambled with what he was planning on saying. Seeing Arthur, a smile instantly spread across his face. Nodding back, the clone stood at attention, as per protocol. "Hey, kid," he greeted, taking off his helmet.

Arthur gave the experienced clone a smirk, "How's it going old man?" he asked, trying to hold back a laugh. Green rolled his eyes while smiling, taking his helmet off. "Going well," he said, "How's the weather down there?"

Arthur just shook his head, "What brings you to the temple? Though I think I know why already" he added, slightly mumbling the second part. Green snorted and rolled his eyes. "I'm here to see Oni. Do you know where she might be right now? She ignored my calls." Arthur shrugged his shoulders, "My best guess is in the council room or in her quarters. I wish I could stay and help you search, but I got an appointment with Pac to keep" he informed him. Arthur figured he knew about his training to become a Mandalorian, and if he didn't, he would find out soon by his reply.

"Keep an eye on that Mando for me," Green stated with humor, "If she's anything like her clanmates, she's bound to be trouble." He replaced his bucket and gestured in the opposite direction Arthur was facing. "Oni still lives that way, correct?" he asked. Arthur nodded in response, "Don't worry I'm watching that Mando closely," he then paused, "Only cause she's teaching me the Mandalorian way of life and combat" he whispered, before also turning to leave.

"And Oni isn't?" Green stopped to ask out of curiosity. He knew of his wife's struggle with balancing both of her cultural beliefs, but thought that she would be a more suitable mentor in this case. "Well I asked her about teaching and training me on Bespin, after...certain things….went down and at the time, I wasn't Oni's padawan and she was always busy with other things and didn't really have the time to teach me about such things." he replied back to the clone commando.

"Ah," the man responded, thinking he knew what Arthur was implying. "Well, maybe she can give you a few tips here and there now that things are...somewhat back to normal?" he asked with forced hope. Arthur raised a brow at the clone, and then whispered to him, "You know I'm doing this to become a Mando right? To honor Smoke, who also thought highly of Mando culture"

Green's brows raised. "Does Oni know this?" He wasn't against a Jedi leaving on their own accord, afterall, Kao had debated over it many times. "She knows. She figured it out before I went for my last lesson" he answered, "My Jedi career isn't exactly all 'flying colors' if you know what I mean. You were there for the whole Republic weapons fiasco and you and I didn't always get along either" he reminded him.

Green smiled, "No one ever gets along perfectly, Arthur." Arthur just shook his head, "Yeah but all those events put together almost got me kicked out of the order and after Smoke d-died, and failing to bring in the guy that killed him, I wanted a way to honor him and he was big on Mandalorian culture."

With a nod in understanding, the Mandalorian-influenced man sighed. "You'll make him proud, I'm sure," the commander said, "Smoke had plans to join a clan should he ever be retired from military service. Though, I'm not sure that will ever be an option for my brothers. Their accelerated aging wouldn't give them that much time to have a life away from war."

Arthur nodded in understanding, "Yeah, I kinda figured that. I feel for you and your brother clones. It's one thing about serving with the Jedi I don't like, but I can't really fight it," he said, "Not like anyone would listen to me anyway,"he mumbled. Green snorted. "Unfortunately," he dragged out slowly and sarcastically, "I don't have to worry about accelerated aging."

Arthur gave a raised eyebrow to the clone commander, "Wait a sec. You don't have accelerated aging? How come?" he asked curiously. The marshal chuckled, "I don't know if you've already noticed, Arthur, but I'm not really a normal clone as it is." Laughing one more time, he replied: "I was one of the experiment batchers when the Kaminoans first started cloning the army. Because of the chemicals and hormone injections they used, only myself and Alpha-C survived past the infant stage. Our genes weren't altered with age increasing genes, so we were given regular hormonal injections to speed up our growth. I stopped getting mine about two years ago after I completed my ARC training."

Arthur hung on every word that came out of Green, interested in what he was sharing with him. Arthur then checked the time and paled a little, "I'd like to stay and chat, but I'm already late and Pac is going to kill me, so I gotta run." Arthur then gave a small smirk and a shoulder shrug, "Maybe she'll give me a quick death if I'm not too late"

"Tell her to give you a good right hook for me," Green called out humorously. He turned and made his way towards Oni's quarters, intent on making things right.

Green stood in front of a pair of doors, trying to come up with an apology and trying to find whatever words would come to him, 'fek it' he thought to himself and knocked, after nothing came to his mind. He decided to just wing it and say whatever words came to him in the moment.

A few moments passed by before the doors opened, revealing a fresh-looking Master Kao. She had minutes ago exited a meditative state and had been getting ready to leave anyways. Some clean air would do her good, as her meager living space was getting cramped. Looking into those emerald green eyes, Oni froze, completely shocked. Since she had severed their bond, she could not feel his presence. Until now.

Green put his hands up in front of her, "Before you explode," he said quickly, making it almost impossible for Oni to understand what he said, "I want to apologize for everything that has gotten between us lately. I don't expect you to act like everything is going to go back to normal right away" he calmly told her, trying to keep his cool.

Kao raised a brow. She knew that the circumstances had put pressure on them both, but did not fully recognize the man before her. He was different in a way. Tired. Frustrated. Things he usually kept bottled up. "Come sit down," Oni offered, stepping out of the way for him to enter.

Green cautiously stepped forward, keeping his eyes on his wife, though now he didn't feel as close to her now than he did when he first proposed and she said yes to him. He walked to her bed, and sat down, waiting for her.

"I didn't think you'd speak to me again," the woman said, hanging up her Jedi robe, knowing that she wasn't going to get that fresh air now. She kept her large shawl and scarf on, sitting on the bed next to Green. Oni looked down at her hands, feeling the temptation to lower the barrier between their Force signatures and let him back in.

As she stared at her hands, another pair came into view and grabbed them. Green then looked directly at her, "Our fight and separation, only made me want to speak and be next to you more," he admitted to her, holding nothing back, "Our fight dug deep into me more than any injury I have ever had. You are my rock, and if I lost you…." he stopped, still holding on to her hands, not wanting to let go of her. He now looked down at their hands, and not her face.

Kao gave them a firm and reassuring squeeze. Affectionately, she scooted closer to him and nestled her head in the crook of his neck. "I missed you," she said, "With everything going on, it was hard being here knowing how much pain you were in back at the hospital. You're my foundation, Green. I couldn't go on if I lost you either."

Green rested his head on hers, "Then let that barrier you have between us go" he said soothingly, moving a hand to her back, rubbing it slowly. Oni took a deep breath and sighed, closing her eyes. Knowing the flow of emotions would send her in recoil, the Jedi Master braced herself as she unfolded the bridge between them and deactivated the shield around her signature. Thoughts and emotions boiling over the last few weeks suddenly rushed to her, and she felt immense guilt and remorse for what she had put her marshal through.

Green didn't let go of her, he only held onto her more tightly, knowing she was feeling those previously blocked feelings all at once, and he knew it was overwhelming, "Better?" he asked after a couple seconds passed with them just holding each other. Sighing contently, the Jedi Master nodded. "Feels good to be able to pick through that stubborn mind of yours," Oni said, smirking up at Green.

Green gave a small smirk of his own back to Oni, "You shouldn't have too much trouble after finally picking through Arthur's, who we all know is more stubborn than me" he said, giving her a slightly bigger smirk when he finished.

"He learned from the best," came Kao's retort, laced with sarcasm. She snuggled up to Green and revelled in their bond. Things might go a lot smoother from now on, she hoped. Green then remembered a question that was on his mind about the kid, "You're ok with him getting lessons about being a Mando from Pac?" he asked.

Oni pondered the question for a moment. "I am, but," she paused to come up with the right words, "I don't like the concept behind it. He shouldn't be planning on leaving the Order to become a Mandalorian. Sure, it's always smart to have a backup for any situation, but don't cut yourself short too early."

Green frowned slightly, "He blames himself for Smoke and does the lessons with Pac to honor him and probably to also make up for allowing Smoke's killer to escape after Smoke told him to bring him in before he died" Green said, remembering what Arthur told him and what he read from the kid's report when he was still in the hospital recovering from his own injuries that were given to him by Spar.

"Smoke would want him to complete his training and become a Jedi," Oni said sincerely. She knew how found the man was of Arthur, and his opinion of the Jedi. Green nodded his head, "I know that, but Arthur looks like he is going the opposite way with this. He told me that he isn't looked highly upon in the Order and wanted a backup in case the Council finally had it with him," Green stated, though he figured she already knew this.

"I understand that," Oni said. "I was in the same boat when I was his age. And it's my fault for at times treating him like he is failing. I just didn't want to let him fall like my brother did." Green rubbed her back soothingly, "It isn't your fault. He also dug his hole as well you know. It wasn't your fault that he stole those republic weapons and hid them on Delphon" he said, trying to defend his wife and show her it wasn't her fault.

"That was before he came under my wing," Oni agreed, "But I need him to see his potential. Just because the Council doesn't see it, doesn't mean it isn't there." Green nodded his head in agreement, "Ok, but I too am to blame as well. I started that fight on the ship when I challenged him about fighting you" he said slightly ashamed, about remembering when he and the kid that was growing on him weren't on best of terms.

"You guys did butt heads quite a bit," Oni said with a chuckle, "Annoying at the time but a fond memory to look back on. I'm sure Arthur looks up to you now." Green nodded, "We have grown alot since then," he stated, agreeing with her.

"Maybe we should talk to him?" The Jedi Master bit her lip in thought. "If Arthur is feeling left behind as you say, maybe us talking him through it can give him motivation to move forward."

"There's only one way to find out for sure," said Green casually. He adjusted his position slightly to get more comfortable and continued to rub his wife's back soothingly. "It might be best if you went alone first though," he suggested, "Arthur looks up to you more than anybody and if anyone can get through to him, it's you" Green continued, explaining the reasoning behind his suggestion.

"Yeah, and I don't fully trust you around him yet," Oni said with a smug grin. She sat up straight and looked Green in the eyes. "I'm not sure what to say." Green's only answer to her was a shrugging of his shoulders, "You'll know when the time comes. I'm not good with these types of things," Green quietly said back to her.

"I don't know," Kao shrugged, "I thought our wedding vows were pretty good." Green chuckled, "Yeah, but you are better at handling this kid. Besides you guys still need to mend your relationship, so this might help that as well" he pointed out to her.

"Okay, okay, I'll talk to him." Oni sighed, "You're still as persuasive as ever, aren't you?" She eyed him out and slightly scooted away, frustrated for losing to her husband once again. Green put his arm around her waist and pulled her back close to him, "You don't have to go now," he whined, "The kid is at his Mando lesson"

"And I had a dinner planned," Oni said, "Maybe I can drag you along." Green smirked, "Well you don't have to drag me. I'll come willingly 'master'" he chuckled. Oni squinted her eyes, "Don't ever call me that _again_."

**Scene Change**

Arthur ran up the stairs of the apartment building as fast as possible until he reached the top floor and then got to the doors he needed and knocked really fast, nervous that Pac would murder him if he was even later than what he was.

Pac emerged calmly, allowing her pupil to come into the apartment. She seemed without emotion, but had an aura of mystery to her, as if her mind was working hard to concoct something. Arthur walked quickly into the room and turned to face her, "I'm sorry I'm late" he quickly said a couple times over.

"Being late on the battlefield could end up getting someone killed."

There it was. Pac wasn't angry for his tardiness, but critical. She intended to teach him how to live and die in combat. No in between. "I understand" Arthur said, head down, he didn't feel like making any excuses for his tardiness. He then waited for Pac to start the next lesson he would learn.

"I want to see what you've been able to store in that head of yours," Jhia stated, moving onto a training mat. Arthur followed her over to the mat and took his stance and prepared for what was to come. He remembered their last lesson and planted himself the way she taught him.

Jhia didn't even examine his posture or stance, but kept steady eye contact with him. "Advance," she ordered him. Arthur took a deep breath, while deciding on a course of action. Pac wasn't standing too far away from him and he got an idea. Instead of rushing straight at her, he immediately went into a roll and swept her legs out from under her, causing her to land on her back and Arthur put a hand on her chest, pinning her, or so he thought anyway.

"Impressed?" he asked her, keeping his hand on her chest.

Jhia frowned at him and hooked an arm around his neck, pulling him onto the ground and pressing his face against the mat. "You never let your guard down," the bounty hunter hissed, keeping a firm grip on him. She had him in a headlock and rested on top of him on her side.

"Yeah...I know…." Arthur tried to say, but with his face being pressed into the mat, it sounded more muffled. "Do you always lay on your side looking pretty when you headlock people?" he questioned, his voice still coming out muffled from the mat. Arthur rolled to his left, putting Pac on her back again, and he landed a few hits into her solar plexus.

Hardened to her core from years of combat training and experience, Pac easily endured the hits and let go of Arthur. Using her right foot, she landed square in his chest and launched him off of her. Sitting up, the bounty hunter dusted off her shoulders and watched Arthur on the floor across from her. "Better," was all she said.

Arthur sat up, still sitting on the mat, he put his hand to the side of his face and cracked his neck with a loud pop, and then grabbed his neck immediately after and rubbed it some. "Yeah thanks" he said frustrated that he lost again. He could care less about the pain he received, he just wanted to make it a little bit challenging for her, cause he didn't want her to lose interest in training him if he failed or lost too easily all the time.

"You're not going to become a Mandalorian overnight, you know," Jhia stated casually, getting off the mat. Arthur sighed, still rubbing his neck some, before running a hand through his short, jet black hair, "Yeah I know, but I want to make it somewhat of a challenge for you and not fall on my fekking arse and lose every minute, if our fights even last a minute" he mumbled the last part.

Jhia chuckled, "No offense, kid, but it'll take you years to become a challenge for me. Remember, I have the same Mandalorian training that Oni Kao has and it is not something to take lightly." She strode to the kitchen to grab something to drink. While pouring a good alcoholic beverage for herself, she grabbed an exotic juice for Arthur. Handing him the glass, she gestured for him to sit on the bar stool under the kitchen island.

Arthur got up and heard his body crack in several places, causing him to wince slightly. He sat on the stool and looked at the juice, "What is that?" he asked curiously, tapping the glass the juice was in.

"Uh," Pac dragged on, looking at the jug she had poured it from, "I'm gonna assume this is in Rodian. I think it's non-poisonous." Arthur shrugged his shoulders, "Good enough for me" he said and with one motion picked up the glass and chugged the contents. He put the glass back down and coughed some, "Well I don't feel any different" he said sarcastically.

"I _hope_ it's not poisonous," Pac's eyes widened as she put the juice back. Arthur just raised a brow at her, "How do you not know what's in your own fridge?" Arthur asked sarcastically, twirling the empty glass in mid air with the force.

"Well," Pac started, "The Shan clan is notorious for having drinking parties and well, I think I bought this when I was drunk." Arthur chuckled, "You could still kick my butt drunk" Arthur said, "I might be able to last a couple extra seconds, only because you'd stumble some and not be at a hundred percent" he chuckled, now inspecting the inside of the glass.

"That's actually what would happen," Jhia said flatly, "Just ask your Master: that's how most fights end up in our-well, _her_ clan."

Arthur raised a brow at her, "I'm sensing some hostility between you two, and I don't have to be a Jedi or have the force to sense that," Arthur casually spoke, not sure if it was a good idea to carry on the subject or not. He then put the glass down and gave her his full and undivided attention.

"She has every reason to hate me," Pac said casually, "I betrayed the clan and now I'm an outcast. Though, I'm not the only one." Arthur raised a brow at her again, which he seemed to be doing quite often, "Who else?" he asked her calmly.

"Orus and his older brother left the clan," Pac scoffed, "Though he was never really a part of it, but was just helping me out. When the conflict broke out in the family in a power struggle, a lot of us left, betraying Oni and the ones who remained loyal to her."

Arthur caught the scoff she made when mentioning Beskar, "Yeah I had a few jobs with Beskar. I don't miss working with him," he said before pausing, "So your clan had a power struggle and you took the other side or did you just leave altogether?" he asked.

"I saw more benefit in leaving at the time," Pac's face became more firm, "But now I see that I probably should have stayed. If by taking the other side you mean fighting my brothers and sisters, then yes, I did. People died, too."

Arthur kept calm on the outside, but inside he was a little nervous on continuing this obviously touchy subject, "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to" he calmly replied, giving her the opportunity to stop if she wanted to.

"It's been years," Jhia said calmly, "And war is a fundamental part of her clan's culture, so it's nothing to mourn over." Arthur nodded in response, but decided to still ask a different question letting the subject go for now, "Any other lessons today boss?" he asked with a little humor mixed in, but not much.

Thinking for a moment, Pac shook her head. "I think that's all for this week. I believe your trip with Oni is coming up in the next few days? I'll be seeing you when you get back, then."

Arthur got up from his seat and made for the exit, "Thanks for teaching me again" he said before making to leave. "It's been a pleasure," Jhia said, taking his cup to wash it. "I'll see you next time, Arthur. Say hello to your Master for me, will you?"

Arthur nodded, "Will do teach" he said and then left and made his way back to the Temple to find his master. But first he stopped at his dorm. Setting his lightsaber down on his bed, he grasped onto Smoke's dog tags and inspected them. The young man got lost in his thoughts, wondering if the path of a Jedi was truly right for him, or if these lessons with Pac would open a whole new future ahead of him. Remembering his desired talk with his Master, Arthur took off, leaving his blade behind.

By this time, Oni and Green had returned from their evening dinner. Settling back down into Oni's quarters, Green turned to his wife, who was currently curled up in his arms. "So, does this mean you'll move back into our apartment?" the commander asked sweetly, planting a kiss on the woman's forehead. Kao chuckled lightly, "They're letting you keep it?" Green sighed, "Yeah, well not really but with my allowance increase due to my injury, I can still afford it."

Oni shook her head in amusement, "I'm saying yes, but if you get in trouble, it's on you." Before they could continue their conversation, there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it," Oni said, her husband nodding in agreement. If it was one of her fellow Masters or anyone for that matters, things would look odd and suspicious if he answered the door.

Arthur awaited patiently outside the door of his master's quarters hoping she was in. The doors then opened revealing one Master Kao, "Master, Pac asked me to deliver you a message. She wanted me to tell you 'hello'" he said to her bowing.

Oni raised a brow, "_She_ said hello to _me_?" The woman looked flabbergasted and turned to Green, who was getting off the bed. "I don't know whether to be slightly scared or not." The ARC laughed, as he was more relaxed knowing it was Arthur at the door. He approached the two casually.

Arthur kept his head slightly bowed, but looked up to his master, "She knows that she made a mistake and she wishes to hopefully win back your trust, if you will allow her Master" he continued, sounding somewhat hopeful that Kao would give Pac the chance.

Both Green and Oni gave puzzled looks. "Arthur was she drunk tonight?" Kao asked, "From my memory of Pac, she doesn't usually admit when she's wrong unless she's black out drunk."

Arthur, still with his head bowed slightly, shook it, "She took me down in ten seconds in our sparring match, so no she wasn't drunk, or I would have lasted at least twenty seconds" he joked, but still kept his voice calm.

Green chuckled, "I guess Mandos do feel emotions." Oni sharply elbowed him in the abdomen while smiling at Arthur. "Ow," he said flatly. Kao ignored this and responded to her Padawan. "Well, I hope she is changing. It would be nice to have an old friend here on Coruscant that isn't a Jedi."

"She seems to be changing. I have learned a lot from our lessons," Arthur finally tilted his head up and a small crack was heard, causing Arthur to flinch and grab his neck. Oni raised a brow to this before continuing. "My Mandalorian side still shows some resentment for her splintering off to a group just as bad as Death Watch," she said.

Green snorted, "_Some_." He received another elbow to the gut. Arthur rubbed his neck a little more, before putting his hand down, "I can't make you forgive her. The decision is yours to make Master" Arthur said humbly. "I know," Kao said, calming down a bit, "I will in time, but the key word there is time." She looked back at Green, who smiled at her encouragingly. Turning back to her apprentice, Oni grinned. "Are you ready for the trip?"

Arthur gave a nod, "I'm all packed and ready to go. I just have to talk to Meela before we head out" he answered her. "Ah, well it's not until tomorrow," Green responded, "So you have some time. I'd speak to her now if I were you. It's getting late."

Arthur nodded in response to the ARC commander and then started to make his way in the direction of Meela's room. Arthur looked over his right shoulder back at his master, "Goodnight Master" he said. "Night Arthur," Kao said as she and Green went back into her quarters.

**(Five minutes later) **

Meela was getting ready to go to sleep when she heard the knock on her door. Pulling on a t-shirt and some sweatpants, she strode across her room and punched in the code. A smile spread across her face as soon as she saw Arthur.

"Hey Beautiful" Arthur said, taking in her appearance, "How's it going?" he said, putting his elbow on her door frame, trying to look like he knew what he was doing. Meela's smile transformed into a curious smirk. "What are you doing?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Trying to spend time with my girlfriend" Arthur responded back putting an arm around Meela's waist, pulling her close. The Togruta gave a fake unamused look. "I know that," she said with a smile, putting her hands on Arthur's chest, "But what's with the sudden confident flirting, huh?"

Arthur returned the smile, "Not sure. I was going back to my room and I just had a change of mind that I needed to come spend time with the most important person in my life," he said, as he put his lips on her cheek for a few seconds, before pulling back some.

Meela grinned, "Okay, you have twenty minutes." The young woman pushed away from Arthur and sat down on her bed, taking off her headpiece. Arthur sat down next to Meela on her bed, but after he sat down, he pulled Meela over and spun her some, so she was now on his lap and looking at him. Arthur found her eyes, and was mesmerized by them.

Meela smiled stupidly at this and wrapped her arms around Arthur's neck after setting her headpiece down. "So you're leaving the day after tomorrow huh?" she asked with a somewhat sad look. Arthur nodded in response, "Yeah" he said back with sadness present, "I'd take you with me if I could," he said soothingly to her.

"Fisto might let me go," Meela started, "with him being good friends with your Master and all, but I probably shouldn't miss training." The Togruta adjusted her lekku and looked Arthur in the eyes. "How did training with Pac go?"

Arthur just gave out a chuckle, "It went as it usually does. I learn a lot of hand to hand combat training, and then she tells me to use what she taught me and then I fall on my back as she pins me down" he moved his hands from her waist down to her thighs, giving a little squeeze, and then back up to her waist, changing between the two every so often.

"Ah," Meela expressed casually, "So she is turning you Mandalorian then?" There was a hint of disdain coming from the Togruta's words, as she wanted to strictly follow the path of a Jedi, and saw no point in making plans outside of the Order.

Arthur moved her a little bit closer to him, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her closer as well, "I may be learning things outside the order, but that doesn't mean I want to leave or that I will, which I don't. Mandalorian and Jedi culture can exist together. Master Kao does pretty well with making that work" he said. He then leaned in so that he could now whisper into her montral, "I would never leave you. I love you too much" he said to her, allowing his face to hover near her montral.

Meela giggled, "And I love you." But her face fell once more into concern, "It's just...if the Council were to discover your secret training, they may take it the wrong way. Especially since Pac was one of Spar's men, they already have a lot against you."

Arthur slowly brought a hand up to the side of her face and slowly brought her face to look at his, "Hey don't worry about that. Everything will be fine. They know I visit her at her apartment and they dare not try anything to spy on her because she is too good and would spot anything they would try" Arthur then pulled her face to his and met her lips with his own.

The Togruta reciprocated for a moment. "I do worry, Arthur. With your Master stepping over the Council's toes, you are too. And they might try to use you against Pac. Yes, she would find out, but that would only put you in danger. Oni is a perfect example of compromising between two worlds, but…" Meela sighed deeply, collecting her words. "I'm not in any way trying to put you down," she said, placing a hand on either side of Arthur's face, touching his forehead with her own, "I'm just worried about you and your future. Things have really changed over the past three years."

Arthur nodded, "I know. Things finally seem to be looking up for me in the order" He then looked her dead in the eyes, "Stop worrying for now will you?" he asked as he closed the distance again and poured all the passion he could into the kiss. Meela let herself relax and embrace Arthur in the moment. Arthur continued the kiss for a little longer and then pulled away slightly, "Better?" he asked.

"Shut up," Meela said playfully, pushing Arthur away. "So what are we going to do tomorrow before you leave? I have training until five." Arthur smiled, "Tomorrow is training with Master Kao and then after that I am free" he answered her. "Ooo," the Togruta smiled devilishly, "Then maybe we should sneak out until curfew." Arthur smiled as well, "Maybe we should" he smirked at her.

"Where should we go?" Meela asked flirtatiously. Arthur gave a puzzling look and was in deep thought, "Not sure. How 'bout we just play it as we go?" he asked her, still with his arms around her. "Just running around Coruscant then?" Meela pecked his cheek, "How romantic."

"Well I haven't got any complaints yet" Arthur said with a smirk in her direction. He then pulled her in for one more kiss, but he quickly lost himself and pulled her in closer, so they were flush against each other. After several seconds, Arthur moved from her lips down to her neck, and explored to find her weak spot.

Reaching the area directly under her right head tail, Arthur earned a moan from Meela, who immediately pushed on his shoulder. "C'mon, babe," she said, giggling, "If we don't leave now we may never."

Arthur ceased his attack on her neck, but only put his mouth next to her montral, "I'm fine with it," he whispered in her ear and then kissed down her montral slowly. Meela smiled, which grew into a smirk, "Then you can wait until after our date." She pushed him back more forcefully, giving him a flirtatious look.

"Fine," Arthur grunted playfully, "Let us hit the streets" he said and he grabbed her by the hand and led her out the door to go on their run around Coruscant. Because of the diversity of its population, the streets were always crowded with individuals going to work, shopping, and doing every day to day things. That also meant that security detail was at maximum operation 24/7.

Meela spotted a couple clone police and pulled on Arthur's arm to halt them. "Green's men are in charge of policing now that your Master is on Coruscant permanently," she said, pointing towards the unmarked clones carrying riot shields and batons. "Not that they would rat us out...but, don't you know quite a few of them?"

Arthur took a look at the unmarked clones, then looked back to Meela, "Yeah, but let's stay on the safe side" and he pushed on Meela some to steer her and himself down an alley that would bypass the clones with the riot shields. "Agreed," the Togruta said as they moved past people, having to shove their way at times. "And we have to look out for fellow Jedi, of course." Meela took a cautionary glance to scan the area. The crowd was enough to hide them, unless someone was really looking or if they happened to bump into someone. "I know Master Fisto and Master Tano often spend their free time going to this tea shop a few streets down."

"Then I suggest the other way then," Arthur said, pointing in the opposite direction of where the tea shop was. "Besides, I don't really want to be looking over my shoulder on our date, when I'd like to be looking at the person who's in front of me," he smirked at her.

"I'd like that, too," Meela said with a smile, "And it'll keep us out of trouble...for now." The Togruta laughed lightly and looked around whilst also holding onto Arthur's arm. She pulled her shawl around herself and looked around at all of the possible shops. Most were stand-in-line and go fast food lanes with nowhere to sit.

Arthur looked at the lines of people grabbing food, "Well we could grab the fast food lanes and then take it back to your room or mine" he suggested, waiting for a line to die down. "Hmmm," Meela said, thinking it over, "Not sure if we can hide our food boxes sneaking back into the Temple. I can check my data pad and find a place like the one we're looking for." Arthur gave a nod in response, "Sounds like a plan to me," he said, before looking around again at the pact lines of people trying to grab food, "Lead the way Beautiful" he said to her.

The Togruta pulled her datapad out and started searching for places. "Sit down restaurant," she whispered as she scrolled through names of places in their district. Arthur looked over her shoulder reading the names of the places as well, "Any that jump out at you?" he asked as he continued to read the list of names as she scrolled through them. "There's a couple that are within a reasonable price range. I ain't gonna pay fifty credits for a bowl of slop I'll tell you that." She pointed to a cafe shop a street over. "This looks nice." Arthur looked to where she was pointing and nodded his head, "Looks like a good place to me. After you princess" he said, bowing to her.

Meela rolled her eyes playfully and lead him towards the shop, putting her data pad away. As they neared the shop, Arthur peeked inside the windows, "Looks homie" he said, taking in the scenery inside as they approached the entrance. "Kinda contrasts the outdoors," the Togruta said, looking from the windows to the busy, dirty sidewalks, "But I like it."

**(Jedi Temple library) **

As Oni sat in front of a computer, finalizing a security report for Green to pick through, she felt a familiar presence approach her. Turning about, the woman was met with the kind face of her fellow Togrutan council member. "Ah, Shaak, it's nice to see you."

Bowing her head lightly, Master Ti smiled, "And you, Oni. How are things?" She had a sympathetic look to her, to which Kao realized Ti could probably sense the core of her troubles: Arthur and Green. "I've fared better, to be truthful," was her answer. The Togruta nodded and took a seat next to Kao, placing a hand on her arm comfortingly. "I heard the marshal is recovering from his injuries rather well?"

Oni smiled, "Yes. He won't be combat ready for another month or so, but casual police work has done him justice." Shaak blinked a couple times before continuing, removing her hand. "And how did he take the news?" she asked in a hushed voice. Kao's face immediately went blank, and her gaze returned to the file to make it look as if she was working.

"I haven't told him yet."

"Oni."

Giving her old friend a blazed glare, the Talravinian woman grunted. "He's far too stressed right now to hear this. I don't know how he'll take it." Ti narrowed her eyes at Kao and looked around to make sure no one could hear, "You wouldn't tell a man who, over the past three years, has become your best friend let alone your husband?"

Kao nodded, "No, I wouldn't. Not in this situation."

"He's going to find out when the time comes," Shaak scoffed, "And if he doesn't learn it from you, he'll definitely learn it when he's being sent to Kamino for reconditioning under classified circumstances." Oni's eyes went wide, "You think they'd just snatch him up in the middle of the night?" Half of her was sarcastic, yet the other half pulled from truth. There were rumors of clones going missing overnight after significant injuries. Even one of her own men, who had lost the use of his legs after an IED incident on Lothal, was said to have passed away overnight from a drug-induced cardiac arrest. She never really questioned it until it became more of a common-tale as the war progressed.

"They might," Ti sighed, "Especially since he's an ARC trooper and a super commando, they're not going to let it slide. For the GAR, the slightest slip up is a death sentence."

Oni growled, her eyes ablaze with gold. She completed the file and sent it to Green's office in the GAR headquarters. Turning back to the Togruta, Kao gritted her teeth. "The Kaminoans have put too much effort into him to just kill him," she fought, "I would think they would find a way to pardon him or clear his record. What happened on Hoth doesn't seem like too big of a mistake to fix."

Master Ti smiled solemnly, "I applaud your optimism, Oni, but I think there's only one way you can do this without getting yourself into more trouble or getting your husband killed." She scooted closer to Kao and grabbed her hands lightly. "Is there any way you can bring him on the vacation with you?" she asked.

Oni looked about, "I'm not sure, but if the Jedi Council approved it, it would buy us more time to figure a way around it. And by the time we're back, he should be well enough to return to the battlefield and take their eyes off his mistake." She earned a nod from her friend, who stood up, "Let's move this conversation somewhere else." Oni raised a brow and looked around.

Two standard-armor clones stood at the far side of the library in front of the holocron vault, facing their direction. Kao sensed an odd feeling from it as well and stood up. Clones were commonplace in the Temple nowadays, but for them to be in library was odd. "I wouldn't want one of his companions hearing this and spreading the news," Ti said, taking Oni's arm and they casually continued walking. Oni swallowed hard, the reality of the secret she held dawning on her. The darkness of the GAR played with her mind. Suddenly, she felt violated, as if she had been used. What were they really fighting for if not sticking to their ideals?

The Council had long ago discovered the origin of the clone army and the intentions behind its creation. Kao should have stopped there, but her thoughts continued. How did Sifo-Dyas know that they would need an army? Why did he enlist the help of the Sith? How could she have never questioned these things? Oni knew fully now the things they did to the clones to prepare them for battle, and that they assigned them secret codes only known to GAR intel.

Shaak Ti must have read her mind, for she stopped abruptly in the middle of a hall and shook Kao from her trance. "Prying like that is what is going to get Green killed," she scolded, but then looked down and added softly, "The safest thing for you to do right now is speak with Master Yoda and get Green to pack his things. I hope for his sake that the next few months will save his life." Oni nodded, tears brimming her eyes as she did so. "I just need the strength to tell him that-"

It was a horrible, sickening tidal wave through the Force that sent both Masters reeling backwards. It was dark and sinister and Oni had never felt pain like this since the day her son died.

**(Scene Change)**

Arthur and Meela both walked out of the small corner shop and were starting to head back to the Temple and into their rooms at a decent time so that they weren't missed too much. Both decided on a quicker pace, which would get them to the Temple quicker, however it didn't allow them to scan their surroundings as good as they did the first time.

Arthur and Meela were busy making time and conversation with each other to notice the group of six clones with riot shields to their left approaching them till it was too late. "Commander Perry?!" one clone shouted.

Arthur and Meela both froze and looked in the direction of the voice and saw the group of clones approaching them. "What are you and your friend doing out this late and passed Jedi Temple curfew?" the clone questioned.

Arthur was taken by surprise, but tried to come up with something at least somewhat believable, "My friend and I were out in town and apparently, we lost track of time" Arthur explained, taking a glance at his watch and acting surprised at the time. Meela nodded with a forced smile, though she felt as though they were being rammed by a brick wall. The clones have never questioned them about curfew before. They never bothered with it until now. Why?

"We'll make sure to hurry back, sergeant," the Togruta said noting the rank of the one who spoke. That was another odd thing, for five clones led by a sergeant to be out on duty together. Sure, they may want additional numbers when faced against Jedi, but it seems too small of an infraction for such numbers.

_Arthur, how do they know we're Jedi? You'd think they would address you if you knew them. _Arthur gave a quick look towards Meela, but made sure to keep it quick and hardly noticeable, _I'm not sure, and the way they are speaking to us is strange. Lets get back to the Temple and find Master Kao, _he suggested to her.

Meela gave one last look at the clones and noticed the batons in their hands, charged and ready to go. The two Padawans pulled each other along, glancing back every now and then. Meela almost gasped when she saw another group of clones walking in their direction. She saw that they did not have batons like the last group, but blasters. That, and they had the markings of SWAT on their helmets. "Arthur, we need to hide," she said, pointing in the direction of the clones, who hadn't seen them yet.

Arthur pulled her down an alley way connected to the road they were currently walking and then down another alley, still trying to head towards the Temple, to seek out Master Kao about what was going on. As they made it to another main street, Arthur slowed down some, thinking that he and Meela went down enough alleyways to loose any clones that were trying to follow them. He then heard several slight clicking noises that he was all too familiar with, "Oh shhhh, Meela duck now!" he yelled.

**(Outside the Jedi Archives)**

Oni and Shaak Ti looked to each other, eyes wide in grief. "What do we do?" Kao called out in disbelief. Jedi were now running about, and screams could be heard. The two women snapped their eyes down the hall and immediately drew their lightsabers. "We must get to the Younglings," the Togruta yelled as she ran down the hall. Kao stopped for a moment to think. Everything felt dark and numbed her senses. Something was blocking her from seeing through the Force and all of her bonds were shut down. She couldn't contact Arthur and she could not feel Green's presence. Both absences alarmed her and she pushed off, her legs burning as she fought to catch up with Master Ti. As they sprinted towards the unknown, they were joined by others as well who were just as confused and scared.

By the time they had made it to the floors above the main hall, the blaster fire and screaming had increased and echoed throughout the temple. Oni and her fellow Jedi believed the Temple to be under attack by Separatist forces, but the familiar sound of a DC-15A clicked just around the corner.

**(Scene Change)**

Arthur tackled Meela to the ground, behind some cover, just before multiple shots flew in their direction just above their heads. Arthur covered her body with his for several seconds, protecting her from the fray. Arthur checked to make sure they were in suitable cover before getting off of her. He went to pull out his blade, but his hand tapped his side several times before realization dawned on him that he left it in Meela's room, "Tell me you have your blade?" he asked her hopefully.

"No," she said in fear with wide eyes, "That's why I was so surprised they knew we were Jedi." Arthur was no not sure what to do, "Ok, we need to act fast, before they realize we don't have our lightsabers to defend ourselves," he said, looking around to find a way to get out of their current predicament.

"Why do they want us? We should turn ourselves in," Meela said, "They probably just mistook us or got something messed up. That's what happened with the Duchess of Mandalore, right?" She knew she wasn't thinking logically and was merely panicked. The clones would have announced their arrest and used stun rounds.

"Um, they don't want us alive, or else they would have went by the rules" Arthur reasoned, "We need to escape pronto and find Master Kao. If anyone knows what's going on or can at least give us a fighting chance, it's her" he said, ducking behind his cover, after shots whizzed passed him as he tried to gather information about what was happening around them. When Arthur peeked over their cover, all he mostly saw was panicked civilians and clones advancing on their position. He ducked down one more time, shots still whizzing centimeters away from hitting their target, and looked at Meela, "We need to move. Any ideas how?"

"Get on one of those," Meela said, gesturing towards the speeders flying over the alleyway. "We can lose them in the traffic for a short period of time." The Togruta ducked out of instinct when she heard the clones reloading their ammo in preparation for a smoke out.

Arthur nodded and looked up waiting for a speeder to come by. Arthur looked out into the distance and found a speeder heading in their direction. Arthur tapped Meela on the shoulder, "That's our ride" Arthur pointed out to her.

"Okay," she said, "Let's go." The two mustered up the energy from the Force it would take to make the leap. Just as the XP-38 passed over them, they leapt from the ground, able to keep up with the vehicle. As they landed, the clones called out, calling off the hunt for the sake of the civilians in the speeder.

Arthur hung on tight for a ways, but decided to climb up to the civilians. He climbed up the right side of the speeder and knocked on the dome that covered the civilians, "Land this speeder or suffer the consequences" he said, trying to fake a robbery. "Arthur," Meela scolded, "What are you doing?"

Arthur glanced her way, not able to look at her because he knew she wouldn't like the plan, "Trying to get us a ride to the Temple" he whispered slightly so that the civilians didn't overhear them. "Yeah, but we shouldn't use fear," Meela continued, "It's not the Jedi way nor do I think an honorable Mandalorian would do so to an innocent civilian."

Arthur looked into the civilians driving the XP-38, "Please, we actually aren't here to rob you, we are Jedi from the Temple, and need your assistance. We need to uhhh borrow your speeder to get to the Temple," he tried to reason with them. Meela pulled herself up to give the two, a Twi'lek female and a Zabrak male, a reassuring smile. "Please," she added for good measure. The male narrowed his gaze at the two, looking ready to kick them off his speeder, but the female gave him a pleading look to help the two Padawans. Meela didn't know if it was because of a prior support of the Jedi or if she could sense their distress, as it was biologically possible for Twi'leks to do so.

Arthur looked at the Zabrak male, "Please we need your help, we are desperate, or else we wouldn't have jumped onto your speeder in the first place," Arthur tried to reason further with them. The male Zabrak's glare seemed to dwindle some, either from Arthur's pleading or from the Twi'lek female's reasoning in the car, but Arthur felt them slowing down and descending.

Meela gave out a long held sigh in relief. Now they needed to find a couple disguises until they could get to Master Kao and find out what's going on. But, as she looked up, she suddenly saw the most terrifying thing that made her heart skip a beat. A poster board gleamed with the breaking news: the Jedi Temple in flames. The Togruta saved this in her memory to bring up to Arthur later.

The Zabrak male finally descended the entire way and stopped the speeder and he and the Twi'lek female got out of the speeder, "Thank you, both of you. This means a lot. We would explain our horrible situation to the two of you, but d I possibly borrow your jacket also?" Arthur asked, showing some credits in his hand to the man. The man hesitantly gave Arthur his jacket, which also had a hood, and Arthur handed the Zabrak the credits and put on the jacket.

"There's a store right over there where I can buy a cloak," Meela said, pointing to a small shop just aways down. "And we can watch the HoloNet at that bar over there," she gestured to the aforementioned building. If they could get more information on what was going on, they may be able to get to Oni that much quicker.

**(Main Hall of the Jedi Temple) **

Master Kao watched in horror as the squad of clone troopers rounded the corner and began firing at them. Every Jedi ignited their blade and fought back, some falling to the hail of blaster fire almost immediately. The Talravinian woman easily reflected their fire, having done so against droids for three years and knowing the clone's techniques. However, the Dark Side was clogging her senses and draining her of power. There was almost a dead silence across the galaxy, yet it felt disturbing, as if the screams of many had been suffocated.

"We must make our way back to the dorms," Ti called out to her as she almost took a shot if the trooper had aimed an inch to the right. Oni barely heard her over the commotion and cries of her fallen Jedi brethren, but she nodded in agreement. She did not want to leave her fellow Masters and Knights behind, but the clones were encroaching on them and would most likely win. The two Councilmen retreated slowly at first, backing away step by step, but as soon as they reached the intersection back through the library, they ran as fast as they could.

Stopping just outside the library doors, the women kept their blades out, concentration written on their faces. Kao turned to the Togruta, giving a silent nod that confirmed the two clones were still in the library, though she could not tell where. Using her agility to her advantage, Oni made the first move going into the library, looking out only to see that the clones were not standing by the holocron vault any longer. Shaak began creeping towards the next column of the library, moving as slowly and quietly as possible.

Kao halted in her search when she heard whispers. They came from the opposite side of the library Ti was heading in, but she investigated anyways. As she came closer and closer to the voices, her enhanced hearing picked up every word.

"You can trust us, sir," one voice came. Oni could recognize the gruff Jango voice anywhere. But the next voice she heard threw her off balance.

"Good, sergeant. We'll drag those cowards in and take 'em out. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a Jedi to hunt down and bring to Palpatine personally."

Green was here.

**(Minuko's Bar) **

Arthur sat fidgeting in his seat, he wanted to get rolling and get to the Temple as quick as possible. The more time they wasted, the more time it allowed for the clones, or whoever was behind their odd behavior, more time to get to Oni. He didn't feel their bond break or anything that drastic so as far as he knew, she was still alive and somewhere in the Temple. He twiddled his thumbs, and he had sweat running down his forehead, mostly from running and the adrenaline rush, but nerves as well played a part.

Meela sat down next to Arthur, pulling the cloak around herself. "The Temple is in flames," she said as they watched the screen, waiting for the news to come on. "I saw it on the poster boards," her voice came out calm. They had to act normal and separate, and speak as though strangers to avoid attention.

Arthur made an attempt to get out of his seat, but stopped and sat back down, waiting for the news, "Really?" Arthur asked, sounding surprised, "I never thought I'd see the day when that happened" he said, looking at her every so often.

"I thought it was another bombing," Meela gritted her teeth, though held no emotion in her voice, "But from the images I could see the 501st going through the front entrance and the spires barely visible in all the smoke."

Arthur cringed slightly, "Guess that's a good thing then. Maybe they can help clear out this mess" he said, though he knew very well that it was the other way around. He gave Meela a look that said, _'lets leave now. We need to get up there'_. Meela shook her head, "They've probably taken care of the Jedi as you said." She gave him a warning look. _It's suicide, Arthur; and we don't even have our lightsabers._ With a moment of thought, she spoke again. _Maybe your Master got out in time?_

Arthur shook his head very slightly, barely even noticeable, _Probably not. She won't leave until she gets others out first, which is why she needs someone to help get her out and to watch her back, while she gets the others out, including Younglings. _Arthur couldn't imagine what she was going through, but his thoughts were interrupted by the news coming on over the HoloNet.

Meela was thinking through it all. Her eyes widened. _Wasn't she with Green? He's a clone._ Arthur's eyes also widened some, _That can't be good. She definitely isn't going to leave then until she finds him_. The Togruta stood up. _And if clones are hunting down the Jedi, we don't want her to find Green, or the other way around. _ Arthur stood as well, _Then we need to get going, before things get any worse than what they are_.

**(Temple Library) **

Without thinking, the woman deactivated her blade in shock of hearing her husband's voice. The sound immediately caught the marshal's attention.

"Probably a stray Padawan," the 501st sergeant said, gripping his DC-15. Green used his arm to lower the weapon, staring off in the direction of the noise. "No, kid," he said quietly, "That was not a Padawan." He could sense Kao's presence. While the Dark Side clouded her senses, it did nothing to prevent him, a non-Force user, from feeling their bond. The commander signaled for the two clones to stay on guard and complete their task. He gripped his right hand pistol and switched the safety off.

Oni heard the click and panicked. Is he going to….shoot me? Her heart collapsed, knowing he recognized her signature and could read his thoughts of bringing her down. Who was this man? She did the only thing she knew and ran towards Shaak Ti, using her Force abilities to practically teleport to the other side of the library. Her motion caused a wind to rustle through the large room, challenged only by the echo of the commander's footsteps.

Green grunted at her cowardice but kept his pace slow, not wanting to provoke her and start a duel. He'd find her eventually, even if that meant waiting until she tripped up or another clone found her. Palpatine had specific orders to keep her alive, possibly due to her shaky stance with the Jedi and her connections within the Senate and elsewhere. The clone marshal ran his index finger along the trigger, his adrenaline pumping and instincts taking over. His bred need to follow orders completely was overshadowing any emotions towards Oni or thoughts of treason. The green of his eye brightened and his pupils dilated as he sensed his wife was still in the library.

Oni skidded to a halt next to the Togrutan Jedi, halfway scaring her to death. When the human grabbed her forcefully without explanation, she put away her blade and ran with her towards the Holocron vault. The clones couldn't get in there and it did lead to other parts of the Temple, as they found out when Cad Bane and his accomplices broke into the vault.

**(Scene Change)**

Arthur hoped in the driver's seat of the XP-38 speeder and waited for Meela to hope in as well before taking off in a blaze. He had only one thing in his mind; _getting to the Temple as quick as possible to save his master and others before the clones got to them all_. He sped through the streets, swerving to miss the occasional pedestrians. The Togruta dug her nails into the armrest at first, but then her eyes locked onto the poster boards as they flew past. Images of the Jedi Temple burning and Jedi running out chased by clone troopers played over and over as a newscaster spoke in a foreign language about the whole event.

Pictures of various Jedi with the word "wanted" printed over them popped onto the screen. Oni Kao was not among the list of Jedi Councilmen, which Meela frowned at. Had she already been killed? Or was she pardoned from whatever was happening. Just then, another newscaster began reading off a datapad.

"The Jedi Order has been accused of conspiring to take over the Senate and for the attempted assassination of Chancellor Palpatine. The attempt was carried out by four Jedi: Mace Windu, Saesee Tinn, Kit Fisto, and Agen Kolar. All four have been confirmed dead."

Meela gasped at the news of her Master's passing. He had also been the Jedi that oversaw the training of her Youngling clan. She placed a hand over her mouth to stop herself from crying.

Arthur heard the news, but continued to speed towards the Temple and focus on his driving. He was making good time till he had to immediately put on the breaks, "Ahh kriff," he swore, looking at the massive traffic jam ahead of him, "We aren't going to make it to the temple this way. We can go to Oni's apartment and stash the speeder there and then go in on foot" he suggested, putting the speeder in reverse, then taking off down another side road.

"Maybe she's there!" Meela exclaimed in optimism, "She wasn't on the poster board, though. You can still feel her part of the bond, right?"

Arthur shook his head, "My bond with her is barely even noticeable, it comes and goes in spurts," Arthur then saw another small traffic jam but noticed a side road to the left, and stepped on the breaks, then gave the speeder some throttle and skidded perfectly around the corner and continued towards Oni's apartment.

**(Jedi Temple dorms) **

It was hard for Oni to go to the dorms only to find Younglings and Padawans cowering in fear in random rooms. Shaak Ti and Kao went door to door, not bothering with knocking, but using the emergency code to unlock the doors. There were not that many survivors to find, but it was well worth the effort. The clones had not yet made it to the back hangar, and thus the two Jedi Masters led the young ones there.

A couple were Younglings that Oni had trained during her time on Coruscant as Master of the Order. She was glad to see Gungi, a young Wookiee she had befriended over the past couple of years. He had hugged her tightly, a common habit of his species, and stuck by her side whilst the other Younglings ran off with Ti.

Together, Oni and Gungi searched the remaining rooms. They couldn't sense any more Force signatures, but wanted to make sure. Kao suddenly came across Arthur's room and her heart sunk. "I'm going to check this one real quick," the Master said. She knew that Arthur was out with Meela and hoped that they were able to escape the clones and leave Coruscant immediately. But as she entered the quarters, she almost panicked. Right there, on Arthur's bed, was his lightsaber.

"Fierfek," the woman breathed out. She summoned the hilt and ran out of the room, grabbing Gungi as well. The young Wookiee let out a series of grunts and growls: _"Where are we going, Master Kao?" _

"We're leaving the Temple and going to a safe house," she barely answered, letting him run on his own. Seeing Arthur's blade caused her to forget fighting the clones and switch her focus to getting to her Padawan as soon as possible. But that wasn't the only reason she was running. Not far behind, the sound of rustling armor grew louder. Fortunately, the two were able to reach an elevator before the clones even rounded the corner. "We're going to be okay," Kao whispered to Gungi, staring off into space. He looked towards her and whined, scared.

As predicted, the clones had not yet taken over the hangar, but they were close. Shaak Ti was overseeing the last speeder out of the Temple. When she turned and saw the Talravinian running towards her, she smiled solemnly. "I have one more transport left, is there anyone else we need to wait for?"

Oni shook her head, gesturing towards Gungi, "No, he and I didn't come across any more survivors. Take him and leave."

"What about you?" Shaak asked, confusion written on her face. Kao sighed, "I have to go find my Padawan." Master Ti grew serious, "We will help you then." Her fellow Councilman glowered. "No, you will drop me off somewhere inconspicuous and then _leave Coruscant_." Gungi held onto Master Kao's arm, not wanting her to be stuck on the planet. She smiled down at him and then knelt down. "Have strength young one. We'll meet again and when we do, I'll make sure your training is complete." He did not look comforted enough. Oni placed a hand on his shoulder, "If you can, find transport to Talravin and find Clan Shan. When you tell them that you are one of my students, they will protect you."

Shaak Ti ushered them both towards the speeder. "We must go now," she said, "They're on the elevator." Oni stood up, only to receive a tight embrace once more from the Wookiee. She returned the gesture and then pushed him towards the vehicle, both hopping on. And just as they took off, the doors of the elevator opened and that familiar green paintjob appeared.

**(Traffic Jam)**

Arthur continued speeding down main and side roads finding his way to his Master's apartment building. He just wanted to find her was all, if he was meant to die on this planet then so be it, he just wanted to reunite with his Master and try to get her off this rock. He felt she and Meela came first to getting off the planet before his own safety.

He pulled a uturn on a main road and crossed several lanes of oncoming cars, that he barely missed and then backtracked to another side road, he lost count how many side roads he took, and before getting back on a main road that should take them all the way to Master Kao's apartment if there was no more traffic jams.

Arthur tried blocking out the news on the speeder's HoloNet, but his curiosity got the better of him, listening to any mention of Master Kao's name. He hoped and prayed that she was still going to be alive when he found her.

**(Apartment Complex) **

Luckily there was an alleyway next to the apartment complex Green had been living in for the past three years during his stays on Coruscant. Shaak Ti pulled the speeder to the side of the building and bid her friend a farewell before taking off once more. Kao watched them leave and prayed that the Force would guide them to safety. A tear strolled down her face as the speeder disappeared and she spun on her heel to go into the apartment building.

"Don't move."

Oni was face to face with the barrel of a pistol. Just beyond it, Green's heaving form was backlit from the lights and poster boards just outside the alley. "Green," Oni whispered, only for the gun to inch closer to her forehead. "I said, _don't move_."

Kao remained still as her eyes widened in fear. Why was he doing this? How could he do this?

Green grunted, "I have to shoot you." Kao gulped and whimpered, "How can you say that? Green...I….we…"

The marshal's hand began to shake. His moral compass was flying in all directions, and the ARC side of him was pushing back against the Chancellor's orders. "If I don't, then someone will or I'll have to take you to the Chancellor." Oni realized his meaning. If she was kept alive, then the Republic would surely interrogate her. And based on what they have brought upon the Order, torture would be involved. "But you can't let me go?" she asked.

"No, _cyar'ika_, I can't," he said, voice cracking and sweat dripping down his forehead. "They'll find you eventually and I don't want you to suffer at the hands of someone else. They won't make it painless for you." Kao shook her head, "Don't do this to us, Green. You're going to shoot your wife on your anniversary?" The clone commander groaned, cracking his neck as the different emotions went throughout his body.

His finger reached up and turned the safety off. "Please, forgive me for this."

"I will," Oni said, "And I hope you'll forgive me for this." Green frowned, "What?" The small distraction gave the Jedi Master enough time to grab the pistol and twist it out of Green's hand. Grabbing his arm with her left hand, Oni used her right elbow to jab the commander in the face. "Oni," he called out, straining against her hold on his arm.

"I'm sorry," she said before she turned about and yanked Green's arm. A sickening crack echoed through the alley as she broke his arm. The ARC howled in pain, falling to the ground. Kao reached down and grabbed both of his pistols and knife, leaving him with nothing as he squirmed on the ground in pain. Because his arm was broken, he couldn't activate his comlink and call for help. He looked up at the woman, a hateful glare in his green eyes.

Oni glanced back at her husband, barely seeing the man she knew and loved. Pressing her lips together, she turned and ran for the apartment. There were a few things she needed to grab. If she was going to get off this planet, she needed a disguise and credits. As she entered the apartment, she was suddenly overwhelmed by all of the memories it held. Playing card games with her troopers on the dining room table, her and Green sleeping in the bedroom, and retreating here after long battles all came back to her.

Kao raced to the bedroom and started rummaging through the closet and the dresser. Grabbing a good-sized satchel from the closet shelf, she began shoving in clothes and whatever medical supplies she could find in the bathroom. Not wanting the blades to be visible, Oni stashed hers and Arthur's in the satchel.

The woman quickly changed into civilian clothing and put on an old shawl. She pulled her hair up into a high ponytail and then reached under the bed, grabbing a flat metal case out from underneath. Inside was a variety of weapons that she had collected being a Mandalorian. She wouldn't be able to take anything large, but her standard hand pistol small enough to hide under her shirt in the lip of her pants and a combat knife in her boots was good enough for her.

Oni left behind Green's weapons, knowing they could be tracked with the modifications he had Sgt. Tag perform.

Taking a deep breath, Kao grabbed her pack and whatever credits she could find in the safe.

**(Scene Change)**

Arthur knew they were close to Oni's apartment building and so not wanting to attract any more attention to himself and Meela, slowed down and parked the speeder. He undid his straps and then looked over to Meela, "We walk from here. No need to attract unwanted attention to ourselves, since we are close to the Temple now, we are bound to pick up a lot of clone eyes if we are speeding through on a speeder" he told her, speaking what was on his mind.

"Okay," Meela whispered. She really hoped Master Kao was still alive and/or in one piece. Because of her experience and knowledge, Oni was their best bet to get off the planet and find somewhere to go.

Arthur continued walking towards her apartment, while staying vigilant, looking in all directions and scanning his surroundings as he crept closer. He knew this area, since he would sometimes have his lessons with Master Kao in her apartment like he did for his lessons with Pac, so that he was away from other Jedi and so he could act more natural than feeling like someone was always watching him.

Meela looked around, for both clones and possible allies. When her eyes locked onto a woman that looked similar to Master Kao, she stopped. Taking a better look, Meela gasped, "Arthur!"

Arthur stopped and spun in her direction, and out of the corner of his eye, could see why she called out his name. Arthur could see through that disguise and motioned for Meela to backtrack a bit and then cross the street and then make their way up to the figure cautiously, still keeping his guard up just in case. As they moved about to cross the street, Arthur kept his eyes on Master Kao, who hadn't seemed to notice them yet. As they approached from behind the figure, Arthur's face changed to a smile, something that his face wasn't a custom to wearing too often.

Suddenly the figure whipped about and pulled the two down an alleyway. Just ahead, a group of clone police pass by, totally unaware of their presence.

Kao turned to her Padawan, embracing him. "Don't ever sneak up on me again," she said, almost laughing. Arthur embraced her back, not wanting to let go, for fear of possibly losing her again. "Master, what's going on? Meela and I were just almost murdered by a couple groups of clones with Tenth Star Corps markings…." he started, informing her of how he and Meela got to where they were now.

"They're killing us, Arthur," Oni said with a strained yet whispered voice, "I don't know why they're doing it, but it must be a bigger plot. Even Green tried to execute me." She pulled away and looked her Padawan in the eye, pain and hurt within her gaze.

Arthur was in shock, but his adrenaline was pumping so fast, that it alone kept him going and his head clear, well mostly clear. "Did you have time to tell him about..?" Arthur asked her. Kao gave a half smile and shook her head. "It doesn't matter anymore...the GAR won't exist after tonight I can guarantee that. I can sense a great plot to overthrow the Republic...and our extinction is just the beginning of it."

"Well it won't be ours" Arthur replied back. His adrenaline, the only thing he was running on, was still pumping, keeping his emotions in check, but it didn't take a Master Jedi to see his pain, hurt, confusion, and anger that was inside him, "We need to get off this rock" he told her, hoping she would have a plan.

"I know," Oni said, reaching a hand into the pocket of her pants where she stashed the credits, "We need to get to the Underworld as quickly as possible. There, we can lose the police and find transport to a world not under the Republic's protection." She paused, "I'll be heading to my home planet, where the Republic has promised to not interfere with."

Arthur shook his head, "Not sure where I will go. My home planet has nothing for me anymore and to be honest, I don't any place is going to be really that safe" he said, thinking out his thoughts.

Oni shook her head, "Delphon is not safe. It's been under Republic guard since the last time we were there. You'd be snatched up in a heartbeat. The same goes for you, Meela. Your homeworld is likely to be closely monitored as well." The Jedi Master sighed, "I'm not asking you both to give up any plans you may have had, but my planet and my village is always open to you."

Arthur looked up at his master, "Master, can I take you up on that offer?" he asked, also seeing if Meela thought of the idea about traveling to Master Kao's homeworld to start over. The Togruta smiled and shrugged, "I wouldn't have anywhere else to go." Oni grinned, "Very well, then we should hurry. I know a few people in the Underworld, old friends, who can take us to Talravin and leave a paper trail to throw off anyone who might think about following us. The Republic would be foolish to track me there, as it is mainly wilderness and now occupied by one of the galaxies most powerful Mandalorian factions. We'll be safe there."

Arthur then remembered something very important, "You wouldn't happen to have your second lightsaber with you, would you?" he asked her, "I kinda left mine in the Temple, and it would be foolish to go back and get it" he spoke to her in a slightly mumbled tone, feeling embarrassed about leaving his blade in his dorm room.

Oni's eyes brightened up and she immediately opened her satchel. After looking around for security purposes, she pulled out her Padawan's blade. Handing it to him, she said: "I came across it when evacuating the dorms. I'm sorry, but I didn't find Meela's." She pulled out one of her own. "I hope this will do until we can get you a new one," Kao said, handing it to the Togruta, who smiled in relief.

Arthur twirled the handle in his hands, before placing it on his side, "So how do we get to the Underworld?" he asked Master Kao, he had never been down there before.

"That's the problem," Kao said with a deep sigh, "The police have likely locked getting in and out of the Underworld. But, there may be an advantage still. The Tenth Star Corps still runs security from what I know and while Green tried to shoot me, there's a few clones that know me that may not."

Arthur shook his head, "The clones that shot at Meela and I were Tenth Star Corp, and I knew some of them. Lt. Ace and Patch were two of them," stated Arthur. Oni frowned, "Patch? That man has barely shot two magazines worth because of all the men he's had to stitch up. I'd never think of him to be eager to fight. He's the last to volunteer such a suicidal mission to face a Jedi." Her anger seeped out somewhat. Anger over what was going on. She thought it had merely been some sort of unearthed hatred towards her that led Green to corner her, but now that she knew even the kind-hearted medic was in on it, something terribly wrong had to have occurred.

"All of the clones are in on it," Meela said, crossing her arms, "I don't think that was Green who you were facing. They've all become emotionless zombies." Arthur couldn't believe what he was hearing, but he knew it was true. He lightly grabbed at the dog tags around his neck, wondering if he should even hold onto them anymore. "It's not just the Tenth Star Corps that rounding up Jedi. The 501st was seen on the news heading into the Temple as well" Arthur stated, further supporting what Meela had already said.

"It's galaxy-wide," Oni murmured. "When Shaak Ti and I were in the library looking for survivors, Green and two clones of the 501st were sending a beacon to all Jedi to return to Coruscant. They're trying to kill us all so we must assume that every clone is in on it. But, whatever is making them do this, there must be few who will not follow through with it. Like us Jedi, not everyone does what they're told."

Arthur nodded at that, being one of the Jedi that didn't do as he was told. "We better start heading towards the Underworld then if we have any hope of making it off this planet before the clones get any stronger than what they already are" he stated, looking between his master and girlfriend. Meela gave him a reassuring smile, while Oni looked at him gravely. "We have to plan this out carefully. Use whatever remains of your senses to keep a constant guard on your surroundings. You have only two eyes each but the police will have eyes everywhere. Keep your hoods on, heads low, and weapons out of sight. Stick close to buildings, but also use the crowds to your advantage. Don't stop to talk to anyone."

Arthur nodded and he and Meela followed Master Kao, who began to walk in the direction of Coruscant's Underworld. Arthur's first plan in any situation up to this point, was to wing it and hope for the best and make it up as he went, but he had a plan this time and didn't like what was to come, but he knew that he had to be the one to do it.

Oni put on the act of an everyday Coruscanti headed to work. In her raggy clothes, it looked as though she were headed to some shipyard, of which is exactly where she was headed. They needed transport down to the depths of Coruscant and the various ports would be able to do that. If she and the Padawans could sneak onto a freighter, they'd be good to go until they reached security measures down there.

Arthur kept his head on a swivel, checking all around him as they approached a shipyard. They needed transport and where else would you find some quick and easy transportation? He followed his Master as they stuck to buildings and shadows as they combed the shipyard. As they were about to round a corner, the familiar clicking noise was heard. Arthur froze in his tracks and turned in the direction of the noise.

"That's far enough" came the gritty voice of Lt. Grayson, who casually stepped out from his cover and trained his blaster on the three Jedi in front of him, "Have orders to take you alive General, but the other two well, sadly they are to meet the same fate as most of the Jedi have suffered already" he said, calm and collected, keeping his blaster up and pointed at the group, "I don't want to take you in by force General," said Grayson casually, using one hand to pull out a pair of cuffs for Oni.

Lt. Ace then suddenly appeared on the group's right as well, blaster raised and slowly taking a few steps closer, "Just do as he says General" came a slightly saddened voice of Ace, sounding like he was against what he was doing, but he had no choice in the matter.

"You were my brothers," Oni spat through gritted teeth, "First Green, and now you. You both know I can't surrender." She stood firm, ready to defend the Padawans at all costs. She would not abandon them.

Lt. Ace held up a flat palm in the air and 4 other clones came out of the darkness around the trio with readied blasters pointed at them. "General give up. There is no need to prolong the inevitable. Don't make this harder than it has to be" spoke Grayson, taking a few steps towards the group.

Kao did not budge, starring her former troops down with a deathly glare. She had a variety of weapons on her person besides her lightsaber, and calculated multiple ways of getting the three of them out of here. Brother or not, if these men would dare put themselves between her and Arthur, they would pay the ultimate price. The woman gave out a warning growl, clenching her fists as the clones grew closer. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," she murmured, slicing through Lt. Ace's visor with her fiery eyes. Putting aside her training as a Jedi, she'd try fear to see if it would convince them.

Ace seemed hesitant, seeing the determination in the woman he had come to admire so much over the past three years. However, orders were orders, and she was a traitor to the Republic. If even Green had commanded her capture, it was mandatory. Kao could sense this from all of her men and knew what she had to do.

Lt. Ace had staggered and fell down after the swing from Kao. The others then opened up, sending blaster fire at the trio. Arthur deflected shots back at his former allies. He couldn't believe this was happening but he wanted to keep Master Kao and Meela safe, so he aimed to kill with the deflected shots, dropping two of them before he and Meela formed a circle with their backs toward each other and Master Kao.

Oni was torn. Here she was, fighting the men she had sworn to protect. She could not look them in the eye as she broke formation and began cutting them down. Her Mandalorian instincts took over and she fought hard. Friends. Allies. Brothers. Only a few were spared from her wrath.

Arthur then followed her example and cut down some of the others. He came face to face with Lt. Ace, a clone Arthur had learned to respect tremendously, second only to Smoke. Ace had joined the ranks not long after Arthur, and the two trained and taught each other the ropes of the 66th Battalion. Arthur instead of cutting the man down, hit him hard with the butt end of his lightsaber in the visor, knocking the already dazed clone out for good.

Oni finished cutting down a rookie, a tear falling down her cheek as she did so. They had been scared as soon as she ignited her blade. Their aim was sloppy and hasty, for they all knew they would not make it out alive against three Jedi, let alone their general who knew their training all too well. It hurt. She felt the darkness swelling inside of her as death wrapped around her and constricted her. Looking over to the fallen lieutenant and sighed. Another glance found that the other lieutenant had fled the scene along with about five others, possibly some who did not want to kill or be killed.

Meela hid her blade under her robes. "They still shot at us," she murmured, "Even your most loyal soldiers shot at you." Oni gave her a look of pain, "Loyalty doesn't matter anymore." Arthur had a frown on his face at the phrase his master just spoke, but he looked off into the distance of where they needed to go, "We need to move" he pointed out, "There is bound to be more on their way, possibly even bigger in number and enough this time that three Jedi wouldn't stand a chance" he reasoned, pointing to an unused transport that they could use to get to their escape route.

Oni nodded, "There's going to be security measures we have to pass." She analyzed the area, "Like that guard tower over there." Arthur nodded in understanding, "I have a plan to deal with the guards. I'll let you know what it is when we get there" he told her, giving her a face that said 'trust me'. Kao wanted to question it. She knew exactly what her Padawan meant but decided not to hold him back. He needed to start making decisions of his own and she did trust him.

**(Small Time Skip)**

The way to Coruscant's underworld was busy with a good amount of clones guarding possible escape routes to take off the planet. The trio disembarked from their transport and Arthur, wanting to lure out the guards, ignited his blade, getting their attention. Meela's eyes went wide and she called out, "Arthur?!"

Kao immediately grabbed the Togruta and silenced her with a hand over her mouth, pulling the young woman to hide behind a nearby crate pile. "He's giving us a distraction," she said quietly while listening to Arthur's actions. Meela squirmed in her grasp, pulling herself free with a simple twist of the Jedi Master's forearm. "We can't just leave him," she argued profusively, determination in her eyes, "We must fight back."

"That would be suicide," Oni said through gritted teeth, "We should go now." Meela shook her head in disbelief. Her eyes narrowed at the older woman. "You're abandoning your Padawan."

"I'm letting him make his own choice, Meela," Oni said neutrally, "And I'm giving you a choice. Come with me like Arthur would want you to, or stay here and most likely be killed." The Togruta's face changed minimally, and she barely seemed convinced. Her whole body shook with a rush of adrenaline at the thought of losing Arthur and the fear that was tugging at her. "I will make sure you have your opportunity to avenge him," Kao said, firmly now, as she stood up straight, motioning towards her blade which now occupied Meela's hand. "I will complete your training once we reach Talravin."

Meela's face twisted into a solemn frown. _Arthur?_ She called out to him through the Force.

Arthur continued walking towards the clones, who were now gathering in strength and advancing toward him, neither side taking the first move to strike the other. Arthur noticed the clones leaving the guard tower and joining the ones on the ground. He smirked and stopped in his tracks at hearing Meela's voice, _Meela, I want you to go with Master Kao. We all know that all three of us weren't going to make it. Someone needs to stay behind to make sure the other two get off this rock. Go with Master Kao, she will complete your training, something you always wanted. Please go, I can't do this knowing that you two didn't make it. I need you two to escape and finish living your lives. This is where mine ends. I also need you to do one more thing for me, _Arthur said back to her. He took a pause before finishing, _I need you to move on from me. I am not going to make it out of this and even if I did, the chances we find each other again are quite small. I love you, _he replied before focusing on the clones.

The clones had now surrounded him, leaving him with no avenue of escape. "Green wants this man so he can get to Kao" one trooper said. Arthur just let a small smile appear before he charged forward, bobbing and weaving blaster fire and taking the fight to the surrounding clones, causing them to shoot each other occasionally. _Master? Please get her out of here alive and yourself as well. I'm sorry I won't be able to complete our training. I'm sorry, _he sent to Master Kao, as he sliced his lightsaber at a clones legs, causing him to fall down before he ducked behind another as shots came flying through the air.

Oni sucked in a breath harshly before letting it out. She gave a quick nod of her head and began to usher the frozen and bleak Meela away. Arthur's distraction had worked. There was no security measures patrolling a nearby loading dock, as everyone had their attention on Arthur. In their robed disguises, Oni and Meela were able to sneak aboard the craft and await their descent into freedom.

_Until we meet again, my Padawan._

Arthur cut through another clone, _Stay safe. _Arthur then felt pain course through his shoulder and then his leg and he dropped to his knees.

"Green still needs him alive" one clone with markings answered. Arthur looked over to see Grayson showing his head again. Arthur gave a smile before blacking out on the ground.

**Resist: Well there is the end of this epic story.**

**Arthur: WHAT?! THE END?! YOU CALL THAT AN END?!**

**Resist: Yeah, I think we covered everything we wanted to right? *looks towards Echo* **

**Echo: Yeah *playing with Dark Sith magic* I'm good, how about you? **

**Green: You guys are seriously going to leave it at that? Like….what the fek? **

**Resist: *mischievously smiling* No are you kidding? You would have to be a soulless person to end it here. *checks to make sure he has a soul, then smiles when he sees he still has one***

**Arthur: So there is another chapter coming?**

**Resist: Nope **

**Green: *raises hand* Um, Echo doesn't have a soul. She's a fekking Darth Lord for crying out loud. **

**Echo: Oh you know it *pinches Green's cheek* I enjoy being soulless and half-dead on the inside. It helps me destroy Arthur's love life faster than a Hutt can swallow a whole nuna. **

**Resist: Well we thank you all for sticking through to the end. So before the "Will there be a sequel?" reviews come in. Yes, we are planning a sequel for these characters. We enjoy writing their stories too much to end it here. As for the questions like 'Where did Oni and Meela go? Or 'How does Arthur escape?' Well…..I'm not answering those, so you will just have to wait.**

**Echo: If you are interested in Green's POV after the night of Order 66, I will be writing a story called "Gone", which should be up on my page soon. It's not the sequel, but leads up to it ;). If I can't mess up Arthur's love life, I gotta mess up someone else's. **

**Green: Hey! **

**Resist: *shrugs shoulders at Green* What goes around comes around. Echo and I will also co-author another story involving your favorite characters that takes place after "Gone" so there is still plenty of chapters to come for these characters. With that we thank you all for reading and please keep checking Echo's page for the next story. **


End file.
